The Lost Girl
by AllieKatz
Summary: Allyson is alone, trapped, tortured, and afraid. Until the Doctor comes along, saving her. But will she get to travel with him and Rose? Why can't she remember anything other than her name? Doctor/OC
1. Chapter 1: New Earth, New Beginnings

**Chapter One: New Earth, New Beginnings**

Grey. That's all she could see. Two darker blobs stood before her, that's all she could make out.

"Push more of the sedatives. We don't need the patients seeing her." a voice pinged in her head. Pounding against the walls.

"Yes, ma'am." a second voice responded.

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The Doctor follows Sister Jatt through Ward 26, trying to find the person who sent him the message. "Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one - just a shop. So people can shop." he rambled, still looking around.

"The hospital is a place of healing" Sister Jatt replied, slightly surprised at the Doctor.

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people..."

The Doctor glanced over and spotted a patient who was completely red, hooked up to tubes much like everyone.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help. And to mend." her reply sounding rehearsed, as if she has said it numerous times, which she has.

The walk past a bed holding a rather large man who looks as if he is make of stone. Next to him is a prim woman.

"Excuse me!" she claimed, indignantly as she rushes up to the Doctor. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York." she breathed. The Doctor ignored her and nodded towards the Duke.

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?"

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence. And it ends like this." the Duke replied. The woman quickly stepped in, taking her job very seriously.

"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance." she recited. The Duke gasped from pain.

"Frau Clovis!" he gasped. The woman instantly bustled to his side, grabbing his hand. "I'm so weak!" he exclaimed.

"Sister Jatt! A little privacy, please!" Frau fumed at the Sister.

The nun turned and lead the Doctor away from the Duke.

"He'll be up and about in no time." she said calmly.

"I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for ...oh... a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as statue..." he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Have faith in the sisterhood. But is there no one here you recognize?"

The Doctor looked around until something, more like someone, caught his eye. A transparent figure, with long black curly hair stood in front of the window. Obviously a woman, she stood facing out watching the birds fly by. Next to her sat the Face of Boe back in the corner of Ward 26. One of the sisterhood standing beside him, checking his vitals. The Doctor shook off the girl, thinking nothing of it. In the year 5 billion and 23 it's not that uncommon to witness people during their outer body experiences.

"It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient." Sister Jatt stated.

"No. I think I've found him."

The Doctor walked up to the Face of Boe, Sister Jatt following closely behind.

"Novice Hame - if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Jatt nodded gently to the younger sister. She was suddenly in a slight hurry to leave. The Doctor turned slightly to Jatt.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh - Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?"

"Certainly, sir." and Sister Jatt briskly walked off. The Doctor turned back to the Face of Boe, quickly glancing at the window, seeing the girl still standing there. Suspicion arouse within is mind, the experiences don't last this long. They are usually very quick and fleeting, the energy from the soul visible for only a short time.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or...?" Novice Hame trailed off, interrupting the Doctor's thoughts.

"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?"

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."

"Of what?"

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible."

A smile crossed the Doctors features. "Oh, no... I like impossible." He kneels down, level with the Face of Boe. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me... it's the Doctor..." Movement caught the Doctor's eye, he looked over at the woman by the window. She had turned and was now facing him. A mixed look of terror and relief across her features. She opened her mouth like she was about to call out to him, but nothing came out. She 'talked' for a short while, then, as if realizing he couldn't hear her, she stopped. She looked around panicky, she turned to the window and breathed on it, a small cloud of moisture condensed on the pane. The girls head whipped back, terror all over her face, like she heard something. She hurriedly began to write on the window, before she could finish her apparition was pulled back and vanished. The Doctor looked over at Novice Hame, thinking she had seen it too, only to find her with her back turned, looking at the Face of Boe's vitals. He looked back at the window, a single word shakily written in the moisture. A word he heard to often.

"help"

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The girl thrashed about, resisting her restraints. Grunts escaping her throat as she fought. Sisters, struggling to keep her under control, rushed about injecting sedatives into the girl.

"Get her out now! We can't have anyone finding her!" Sister Jatt hollered.

After a while the girl calmed down, the medicine taking their effect. Whimpers escaped her every now and then until she was completely quiet. The Nun's sighed in relief.

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The Doctor walked back towards the Face of Boe, a concentrated look on his face. Who was that girl? Why was she here? What kind of help did she need? Obviously not medical, she was in a hospital, so why would she need help from him?. He walked up to Hame, quickly changing his thoughts, and handed her a glass of water.

"That's very kind. But there's no need."

The Doctor walked over to the window, the message gone, as if it were never touched.

"You're the one working."

"There's not much to do. Just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes. In my mind... such ancient songs..."

"Am I the only visitor?" he asked, thinking maybe she saw the girl.

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct. Long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old."

A smile etched itself onto the Doctor's face as she continued.

"There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret. That he will speak those words only to one like himself."

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's just a story." Hame lowered her head, embarrassed to be caught believing such tales.

"Tell me the rest." the Doctor edged her on.

"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. to the man without a home. The lonely God." she finished. The Doctor glanced at the Face of Boe, recognizing himself within Novice Hame's words.

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Shapes danced across her vision. She was dreaming, she knew, the creepy cat's wouldn't let her wake. She didn't know, she couldn't remember how she got here. All she knew was they kept sedating her every time she woke. How they knew she was wake was beyond her. Images danced across her mind's eye. A man with brown hair, wearing a suit, and brown eyes. Brown eyes that look as if they have seen more wars than joyous moments. He called himself the Doctor. Upon realizing that fact, her mind relaxed. Somehow she knew this man would save her. A man she's never met before. A man that she know nothing about. He was going to save her. A smile crept across her face, none of the sisters noticed.

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The Doctor had just gotten off the phone with Rose, the conversation struck him as odd. She wasn't herself. He walked over to the Duke of Manhattan who was laughing. He and Frau Clovis both cheering with a glass of champagne in their hands.

"Didn't think I was going to make it!" the Duke exclaimed, laughter in his voice.

The Doctor walks from behind the curtain and into view. The Duke noticed him immediately.

"It's that man again!" He laughed. The Doctor smiled in return, unconsciously scratching his ear. "He's my good luck charm! Come in! Don't be shy!"

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract." Frau Clovis recited, though more relaxed. The Doctor nodded in response.

"Winch me up." the Duke said, giving the Doctor a thumbs up. Frau Clovis pressed a button on a remote, causing the bed to rise forward, sitting the Duke up right. "Ah! Look at me! No sign of infection!"

"Champagne, sir?" a waiter asked.

"No thanks. Uh... you had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"That being the operative word! Past tense! Completely cured!" The Duke laughed happily again, very happy to be alive and not a stone.

"But that's impossible." Something was going on here, and he didn't like it.

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science." one of the sisterhood spoke up. The Doctor turned and stared at her.

"How on Earth did you cure him?"

"How on New Earth, you might say." She spoke cryptically. The Doctor looked from her to the IV drip and nodded towards it.

"What's in that solution?"

"A simple remedy." She answered.

"Then tell me what it is." He challenged.

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor."

"I think you'll find that we're the Doctors here." Sister Jatt walked up to Matron and spoke tensely.

"Matron Casp - you're needed in intensive care." Casp nodded curtly, turning to follow Sister Jatt.

"If you would excuse me." she said before she promptly walked away, the Doctor watching them.

"It's happened again. One of the patients is conscious." Sister Jatt whispered.

"Oh...we can't have that... What of the girl?"

"We have her sedated again. It's taking more and more to keep her down." Matron Casp nodded.

They walked around the corner, the Doctor still watching them, hearing their conversation. Was it the same girl?

After a while, Rose walked into Ward 26. She looked around, smoothing her hair down, to find the Doctor staring at the IV drips, with his brainy glasses on. He looks over and notices Rose, a smile brakes out on her face as he rushes over.

"There you are! Come and look at this patient!" He grabs her arm and shows her a patient whose skin is completely red. He took off his glasses to explain to Rose. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it - they've invented a cell washing cascade - it's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one!" He leads her to a different bed. A man who is completely white laying in it. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, an he's fine!" He waves cheerily to the patient, acting almost like a kid in a candy store who just got his weekly allowance. "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this." He leads Rose off into a different direction. Rose walking differently. "Because if they've got the best medicine in the world.. then why's it such a secret?" Rose stopped, stopping the Doctor as well.

"I can't Adam and Eve it." she tried. The Doctor looked at her confused.

"What's - what's with the voice?" Rose looked up at him.

"Oh, I don't know.. just larking about New Earth.. New me.." she trailed off, looking the Doctor up and down. The Doctor looked her up and down to, stopping on her shirt, noticing that a majority of the buttons are undone.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." He grins.

"Mmm... aren't you just..." Suddenly she pulls him forward and kisses him as deeply as she can. The Doctor, more shocked than anything, stands there, unsure of what to do. When Rose finally pulls away she's slightly breathless. The Doctor just stares at her, still shocked. "T...terminal's this way." she breathed and walked off. The Doctor, still dazed and his hair ruffled, watched her walk away.

"Yep.." he said in a high pitched voice, "still got it..." He followed Rose, attempting to smooth his hair down.

The Doctor and Rose find a monitor and begin to look up details on the hospital.

"Nope.. nothing odd.. surgery...post-op.. nano-dentistry... no sign of a shop...they should have a shop." Rose walked around him, looking at the screen, concentrating.

"No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse/Cat/Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it..?"

"You're right, well done."

"Why would they hide a whole department?" she asked. The Doctor pulled out his trusty-dusty sonic screwdriver and scans the screen. "it's gotta be there somewhere. Search the sub-fram." she told him.

"What if the sub-frame's locked?"

"Try the installation protocol.."

"Yeah, course. Sorry. Hold on." He clicked off his sonic and the wall slid downwards, revealing a secret corridor. Rose smiles before walking in, followed by the Doctor who is still bothered by Rose. "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive." They walk in, neither noticing Novice Hame watching them.

Rose and the Doctor walk into a huge cavern full of rows of green doors. However, next to them was a larger double door, with a keypad to the side of it. Caution written all over the doors. Rose continued to look at the green doors with the Doctor. He opens one with his sonic revealing a man covered with boils and blotchy skin looking back at them.

"That's disgusting. What wrong with him?" she looked at the Doctor who had a horrified expression on his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He closes the door before opening another. A woman was inside this one.

"What disease is that?" Rose asked.

"All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy, they've been infected with everything." He ground out, thoroughly disgusted at the hospital and the sisterhood.

"What about us? Are we safe?"

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." The Doctor shut the door. He glanced into the cavern seeing many other doors, the exact same as the two he had just opened. He walked back towards the double doors. He pulled out his sonic, trying to hack into the security program. Rose still stood by the railing.

"How many patients are there?" she looked back at him.

"They're not patients." He stated, adjusting the setting on his screwdriver.

"But they're sick."

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm." The Doctor said angrily. Finally the doors opened, showing a blackened room. A single light on above a metal gurney. In the gurney laid a girl. The Doctor walked up and recognized her as the girl by the window.

"Why don't they just die?" Rose asked as she followed the Doctor, but paused in the doorway. The girl had numerous tubes hooked up to her, many different colors. A monitor next to her showed her vitals.

"Plague carriers. The last to go." Anger was still on the Doctor's face. Not just for the sick, but for this girl. Why was she here? Novice Hame appeared in the hallway.

"It's for the greater cause." she said, announcing her appearance. The Doctor turned, anger rolled off him.

"Novice Hame. When you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." she tried to reason. Irritating the Doctor further.

"What?! By killing?!" he shouted at her.

"But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence." she said gently.

"What about her?!" He hollered pointing at the girl strapped to the gurney. "She's real, she's human! Did you have any idea about her?!" Novice Hame looked at where he was pointing, her eyes widen.

"We needed somewhere to begin.." she flinched slightly.

"But you still knew of all these people?" Rose asked her, taking a step forward to stand behind the Doctor. Hame gave a slight nod.

"What's the turnover? Hm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousand? For how many years? How many?" he advanced toward Novice Hame with danger in his steps.

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle... but the results were too slow. So the sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are used the girl as a model. Without her none of the Flesh would be able to absorb mankind's illnesses." She reasoned.

"These people are alive." He said through grinding teeth.

"But think of those Humans out there... healthy...and happy, because of us."

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless."

"But who are you to decide that?" The Doctor stepped forward threateningly.

"I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it.. if you want to take it to a higher authority, they there isn't one. It stops with me."

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"I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it.. if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."

A voice rang in her head. 'The Doctor'. Who was he? Why was it so familiar? More voices filtered in.

"Just to confirm... none of the Humans in the city actually know about this?"

"We thought it best not -" another voice began, only to be interrupted.

"Hold on. I can understand the bodies and the girl. I can understand your vows. But one thing I can't understand - what have you done to Rose?"

A confused voice answered, "I don't know what you mean."

"And I'm being very, very calm. You wanna beware of that - very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed." a deadly quiet, slightly threatening male voice rang out. The girl shifted and fought the darkness blanketing her mind. That voice, she must get to him. She tried to sit up, but found her body didn't reply.

"We haven't done anything." the third voice said.

"I'm perfectly fine." a sultry voice chimed in.

"These people are dying, this girl is strapped to a gurney, and Rose would care." the male voice said, identifying the one voice that the girl could only assume was Rose.

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Rose spins and faces the Doctor, grabbing his tie and playing with it. "Smarty pants," she says, pulling out his tie flirtatiously, " Lady-killer." She whispered in a husky voice.

"What's happened to you?"

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out."

"Who are you?" The Doctor cocked an eyebrow at 'Rose'. 'Rose' pulled the Doctor in and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"The Last Human." The Doctor pulled back, surprised.

"Cassandra?" an unpleasant tone in his voice.

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She pulls out a bottle of perfume and spurts it in the Doctor's face. Immediately he falls over, unconscious. Novice Hame runs over and kneels by his side.

"You've hurt him! I don't understand - I'll have to fetch Matron!"

"You do that, 'cause I want to see her. Now, run along! Sound the alarm!" Novice Hame hurriedly rushed off to fetch Matron, while Rose rips a cable out of a box attached to the wall. A alarm sounds, the double doors that lead to the girl close automatically. Rose smiles, satisfied.

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She attempt to wiggle her fingers, she managed a twitch. It's a start. The fog over her mind slowly begins to fade. She began to feel straps holding her down. One across each wrist and ankle, and a large one across her chest and waist. She wiggled her toes, feelings filtering in. She has needles in her arms, legs, and mid-section. Cool liquid was dripping into her blood stream.

She managed to open her eyes, a bright light blinded her. It felt like months since she had last seen any light. After her eyes adjusted she lifted her head weakly. The sight of her body nearly making her wretch. Her ribs appeared to be pushing against her skin, as with many of her other bones. Her skin was deathly white with red spots from previous needles. Tears threatened to fall, seeing herself in this situation was nearly to much.

She opened her mouth in an attempt to call for help but all that escaped was harsh scratchy noise. She pulled at her restraints, twisting and turning, attempting to escape. She tried to pull her hands through her wrist restrains but obviously her captors had secured them as she lost weight and withered away. She struggled and pried but to no avail. She hung her head and sobbed. She was going to die here.

When one of the cat nuns appeared the girl cowered. She remembered catching glimpses of them. She knew they hurt her. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." she said in a hushed tone. The cat quickly got to work untying her straps and pulling out the needles. After the girl was free she helped the poor thing in to a hospital gown she had pulled from the stock room. The girl opened her mouth in order to ask the cat her name and why she was helping her, but yet again all that came out were scratches. "Find the Doctor. He's your only hope out of here." and then the cat lady disappeared. The girl was confused but pulled herself up out of the gurney. She fell to the cold floor, her muscles couldn't hold her up anymore. So she tried to crawl. It was a slow, painful pace.

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The Doctor awoke to find himself trapped inside one of the Intensive Care cells. "Let me out! Let me out!" He hollered at Cassandra.

"Aren't you lucky there was a spare? Standing room only." she said, looking through the glass at the Doctor.

"You've stolen Rose's body."

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand way to kill you, Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about... three minutes left. Enjoy."

"Just let Rose go, Cassandra." He pleaded.

"I will! As soon as I've found someone younger and... less common... then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushhaby! It's showtime." She turned and took a few steps until Sister Jatt and Matron Casp appeared.

"Anything we can do to help?" Sister Jatt asked.

"Straight to the point, Whiskers... I want money." Cassandra demanded.

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only... accept." Matron Casp spoke up.

"The Humans across the water pay you a fortune. And that's exactly what I need. A one-off payment. That's all I want... oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall the City nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?" Sister Jatt paid no mind to Cassandra as she seemed to be preoccupied pressing a few buttons on a remote.

"I'm afraid not." Matron chirped.

"I'd really advise you to think about this." Cassandra warned.

"There's no need. I have to decline."

"I'll tell them! And you've no way of stopping me! You're not exactly Nuns with Guns - you're not even armed."

"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron held up her paw and claws shot out. She let out a menacing hiss.

"Well, nice try." Cassandra spins to face Chip, who was waiting in the background. "Chip! Plan B!" Chip turns to his right and pull a lever on the wall. Every cell door springs open, as does the double doors. Crawling out of the doors was a girl. The Doctor steps out of his cell, same with the infected people. He notices the girl crawling, she looks up and their gazes lock. Fear struck his heart, she was petrified of what was going on. He quickly ran over to her.

"It's okay, I'm going to help you." He picked her up bridal style and looked back at Cassandra. "What've you done?!" He yelled, causing the girl to flinch in his arms.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake 'em up. See ya!" and she runs off. The Doctor runs off after her, determined not to let her escape with Rose's body.

"Don't touch them!" he called back to the nurses,"Whatever you do, don't touch!" the infected flesh walk up to Sister Jatt and Matron Casp.

"I think we should withdraw." Sister Jatt mentioned.

"_We understood what you did to us. As part of the machine, we know the machine_." Matron Casp started to back away from the talking man.

"Fascinating. It's actually constructing an argument. Some of the girls DNA must have gotten into the system."

"_And we... will end it._" the man plunged his hands into the electronics, electrocuting himself to death but causing every single cell door to open, releasing all of the infected. Cassandra screams as she, the Doctor -who's still holding the girl- and Chip run for their lives. Sister Jatt looked over the railing, seeing the infected free, horrified.

"They're free. By the Goddess Centauri - the flesh is free!" She called. The infected stagger slowly towards the two nurses.

"_stop the pain._." they muttered, reaching out. Sister Jatt backs up against a wall as one of the infected people touch her. Boils and discoloration decorate her skin as she screams in pain. The Doctor, Cassandra, and Chip pause for a moment and watch all the flesh break free.

"Oh, my God..." Cassandra gasps.

"What the hell have you done?!" The Doctor demanded, holding the girl tighter.

"It wasn't me! And why are you carrying her?"

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra! We've gotta go down!" He yelled, choosing to not answer Cassandras question. She was innocent to him, she called out for help, and he felt a draw to protect her and keep her safe. She more than likely didn't know where she was, she kept looking around at everything like she was seeing it for the first time. Her fist were clenching his suit for dear life, turning her knuckles white. The zombie-like people started to advance, snapping the Doctor from his thoughts and the girl.

"But there's thousands of them!" Cassandra yelled, scared.

"RUN! Down! Down! Go down!" They run down the stairs. Suddenly speakers all over the building turn on.

"This building is under quarantine. Repeat - this building is under quarantine. No one may leave the premises. Repeat... no one may leave the premises."

The zombies continue to follow them, arms outstretched. Reaching for someone to hold them, the longing is all they feel. Just wanting to be held and know they too are cared for. Not needing to live in cells tortured by thousands of diseases, and being thrown away when one speaks or wakes up. They are not trash, they are people too. People who want to be loved, and held, and just seen as equals.

"Keep going! Go down!" the Doctor kept calling out. They keep racing down until finally they reach the Hospital basement. Cassandra, Chip, and the Doctor burst through a door into the cellar. Cassandra immediately runs over to the lifts and tries to call for one. The Doctor stops, though refuses to set the girl down.

"No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine, nothing's moving."

"This way!" Cassandra ran off down a corridor, the Doctor on her heel and Chip a little ways behind. More of the infected being to poor in, and cut off Chip from the Doctor and Cassandra. Chip whimpers, from being cut off from his lady and from the thought of being infected. The Doctor turns about to head back.

"Someone will touch him!" Cassandra turns around and grabs the Doctor's arm.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thin, he's only got a half life - come on!" she pulled him away.

"Mistress!" Chip called out pitifully, distressed that she was leaving him.

"I'm sorry, I can't let her escape!" The Doctor chases after Cassandra, leaving Chip alone. He let out another whimper.

"My Mistress!" he called terrified, hoping she'd come back for him. The infected shuffle towards him. Whimpering, he runs back in the direction they came from and jumps down the waste chute, hopping whatever waits him down there is better than becoming an infected.

The Doctor and Cassandra rush back into the room that held an empty metal frame that previously held Cassandra's original 'body'. Cassandra slams and locks the door behind them before rushing over and trying another, only to find the infected already there and waiting for them. She slams the door and in their faces and staggers back scared. "We're trapped! What're we going to do?"

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body." he said, gently setting the girl down. She curled in on her self, sitting in the fetal position, scared. He gestures to the psychograft attached to the wall with his sonic. "That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet! You're compressing Rose to death."

"But I've got nowhere to go! My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out." he pointed his sonic screwdriver at her threateningly. "Give her back to me."

"You asked for it." Cassandra gave in. A cloud of light erupted from Rose's mouth and heads toward the Doctors. Rose stands, swaying slightly, disorientated.

"Blimey, my head.." She looks around the room, "where'd she go...?" She glances at the girl the Doctor was carrying seeing her looking terrified at the Doctor.

"Oh, my. This is ...different." A slightly feminine tone colored his voice.

"Cassandra?" Rose marveled.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts! And hardly used..." Cassandra wiggled around feeling out the Doctor's body. "Ah... ah! Two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"Get out of him." Rose demanded. Cassandra ran a hand down his body, feeling him.

"Ooh, he's slim. And a little bit foxy." She wiggles her eyebrows at Rose. "You've thought so too. I've been inside your head..." Rose looks down a little, knowing it true. Cassandra walks closer, teasingly. "You've been looking... you like it" An infected burst through the doors, making all three of them jump. Cassandra starts to freak out, "What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor - what the hell would he do?!" Rose spins around looking for a way out and notices a ladder.

"Ladder.. we've got to get up." Cassandra shoves Rose to the side to get to the ladder first.

"Out of the way, Blondie!"

"But Cassandra we can't leave the girl!" The zombies shuffle closer. Rose leans down and pulls up the girl, leaning her on her side as Cassandra climbs up the ladder. The girl doesn't weigh much and tries her best to help Rose. Rose tries to keep an arm around the girls waist to help support her as they begin to climb. The girl can barely pull her own weight, but Rose helps. She knows the Doctor would not be happy at all if she just left the girl, whoever she was. "If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something."

"Yap yap yap... God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone City."

"We're gonna die if-" Suddenly something grabs Rose's ankle, causing her to scream. She looks down and sees its Matron Casp. "Get off!" she screamed.

"All our good work! All that healing!" Cassandra rolls her eyes but no one sees. "The good name of the Sisterhood - you have destroyed everything!"

"Go and play with a ball of string." Cassandra said dismissively.

"Everywhere - disease! This is the Human World. Sickness! We were getting so far with the girl! But you ruined it!" A diseased hand reached up and grabbed Matron Casp's ankle. She screams in pain as boils break out all over her skin. She falls down the lift shaft, wailing. After her fall the infected start climbing toward Rose and the girl again.

"Move!" Rose called, helping the girl still. But she was getting exhausted, she clearly hasn't done much moving in a while, Rose concluded. Cassandra whimpers and hastily starts to climb again.

"Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles." an automated voice call over the intercoms. Cassandra reaches the top of the shaft only to find the doors are sealed.

"Now what do we do?"

"Use the sonic screwdriver!" Cassandra pulls out the screwdriver with her thumb and forefinger making a face, wrinkling her nose.

"You mean this think?"

"Yes, I mean that thing." Rose sounded defeated.

"Well, I don't know how - that Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts."

"Cassandra, go back into me - the Doctor can open it. Do it! Just keep a hold on her, she can't climb herself!" Cassandra sighed, defeated.

"Hold on tight." she warned before leaping back into Rose's body. "Oh... oh, chavtastic again. Open it!" Cassandra said now in Rose's body again. The Doctor glared down at Cassandra, pointing his sonic screwdriver at her.

"Not 'til you get out of her."

"We need the Doctor." Cassandra tried to reason.

" I order you to leave her!" Cassandra rolled her eyes and leaped back into the Doctor.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout."

"Cassandra, get out of him!" Rose shouted.

"But I can't go into you or her, he simply refuses - he's so rude."

"I don't care. Just do something." Cassandra got a disgusted look on her face.

"Oh, I am so gonna regret this..." she reluctantly jumped from the Doctor's body and into one of the infected. "Oh, sweet Lord... I look disgusting." the girl said. The Doctor opens the lift doors and holds out a hand to Rose and the girl. He grabs both their hands and pulls them in.

"Nice to have you back." the Doctor beamed.

"No you don't..." Cassandra whispered under her breath. She leapt from the infected into Rose again. Just in time as the Doctor sealed the lift doors. Cassandra stared off into space, spooked.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!"

"Insider her head... they're so alone.. they keep reaching out, just to hold us... all their lives and they've never been touched.." she quietly whispered, tears threatening to fall. The Doctor holds out a hand and helps Cassandra to her feet before reaching over and picking up the girl who was clearly exhausted. They walk off, through a door and into Ward 26. Frau Clovis races up to the holding a chair threateningly.

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look-" he tried to show is hands.

"Show me you skin." Frau Clovis demanded. The Doctor shuffled the girl around holding up his arms showing more of his skin Cassandra held up her hands.

"Look! Clean. Look - if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." Frau Clovis nodded, already seeing the girls skin since she was still in a hospital gown. "So, how's it going up here? What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. and I've been trying to override the quarantine." she says, fiddling with a small device shes holding. "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."

"I am not dying here." Frau Clovis said angrily.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out - there is ten million people in that City, they'd all be at risk! Now, turn that off!"

"Not if it gets me out."

"All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose. Novice Hame. Everyone! Excuse me your grace - get me intravenous solutions for ever single disease. Move it!" He rushed over next to an empty bed and sat the girl on it. Fear struck up inside her, afraid he was going to strap her down again. He lightly held her shoulders, staring directly into her eyes. "It's okay, I wont let anything get you. I'm not going to strap you down either. Okay?" she looked back at him for a moment before nodding lightly. The Doctor turned and began to gather things up as well. He ties a rope around his torso as Cassandra attaches the solutions to it so they hang off him. "How's that? Will that do?"

"I don't know! Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked. The Doctor opens the doors to the lift with his sonic screwdriver. "The lifts aren't working." The Doctor peers down the shaft.

"Not moving. different thing." He takes a few steps back, "Here we go." he places the sonic between his teeth and runs.

"But you're not going to -" He jumps into the shaft and clings onto the cable. "What do you think your doing?!"

"I'm going down!" He attaches a wench onto the cable with his sonic screwdriver. Cassandra looks around exasperated. "Come on!" he edged.

"Not in a million years."

"I need another pair of hands. And that girl is way to weak, she can barely walk. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive.. why don't you live a little?" He asked as more of the infected emerge from the quarantine.

"Seal the door!" Frau Clovis ordered. The girl cowered off the bed, landing on the cold ground. She began to crawl back behind a giant face in a glass container, hiding behind it.

Cassandra gives in and takes a running jump, landing on the Doctors back with a regretful moan. "You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you."

"Going down!" The Doctor laughed. They whizzed down the shaft, screaming. Once they reach the bottom they both straighten themselves out.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight."

"Now, listen - when I say so, take hold of that lever." He placed her hands on a lever that's placed on top of the lift.

"there's still a quarantine down there, we can't-"

"Hold that lever!" he shouted. Cassandra gives him a defeated look and nods. "I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit of medicine myself." He starts to grab IV bags and rips them open with his teeth. He squeezes out the fluids into a clear container on top of the lift. "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position." he ordered. He opens a latch on top of the lift. "Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?"

"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." He beamed, dropping down into the lift. He opens the doors with his sonic screwdriver. Outside in the lobby are all the infected, huddled in groups, trying to provide the comfort they all so desperately want. When they see him, they start to hobble over to him. "I'm in here, come on!" he beckoned.

"Don't tell them!" Cassandra begged from above.

"Pull that lever!" he said as the infected march towards him. "Come and get me, come on! I'm in here, come on!" They reach out to him, searching for love and comfort.

"Commence stage one - disinfection" the intercom announced.

"Hurry up, come on!" the Doctor urged on. He beckons them towards him. The solution showers into the lift soaking the Doctor. "Come on, come on." The infected were showered as well. "All they wanna do is pass it on. Pass it on!" The infected people touch each other, their boils disappearing, curing each other. The Doctor has a maniacal grin on his face. Cassandra jumps down into the lift with help of the Doctor.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?"

"No. That's your way of doing things." The Doctor walks into the crowd of the previously infected. "I'm the Doctor and I cured them." The new humans look around at their surroundings, in child-like awe. One of the women come up to the Doctor and hugged him. "That's right! Hey, hey! There we go sweetheart! Ay? Look at him.." he said quietly as he ushered her off with someone else. "Go on, that's it! That's it! It's a new sub-species, Cassandra!" He walks up to a man and grabs him by the shoulders. "A brand new form of life! New Humans! Look at them, look!" He looks at them with a huge smile plastered on his face. "Grown by cats.. kept in the dark, fed by tubes... but completely, completely alive!" he cheered. He points at Cassandra. "You can't deny them, because you helped create them." She rolls her eyes. "The human races just keeps on going. Keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Shuttles enter the hospital. "This is the NNYPD. Please step away from the shuttles." Police officers started swarming the hospital. Arresting the staff and cataloging new life forms. The Doctor and Cassandra walked back into the ward as Novice Hame is lead away by a police officer. Eying the Doctor, who barely acknowledges her. As if suddenly remembering something, his face lights up.

"The Face of Boe!" he dashes off again causing Cassandra to roll her eyes but followed him. Back in Ward 26 the Doctor approaches the Face of Boe who currently looks like he is having a conversation with the girl who was sitting right in front of him, her hand pressed up against the glass. Slowly she dropped her hand before turning and looking at the Doctor who came walking up, smiling. "You were suppose to be dying."

"_There are better things to do today. Dying can wait_." the Face of Boe said telepathically.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." Cassandra piped in.

"Shh!" the Doctor shushed her.

"_I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew_." The Doctor knelled before the Face of Boe, resting right next to the mysterious girl.

"There are legends you know, saying that you're millions of years old." The Face of Boe laughed lightly.

"_There are? That would be impossible_."

"Wouldn't it just? I got the impression... there was something you wanted to tell me..." The Doctor pondered.

"_A great secret_." Boe admitted.

"So the legend says."

"_It can wait_." The Doctor pouted at this.

"Oh, does it have to?" He asked very put out.

"_We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time... for the last time... and the truth shall be told. Until that day watch over this girl, take care of her, protect her. She is of the greatest importance..._" And he vanished.

"That is enigmatic. That - that is - that is textbook enigmatic." He looks over at the girl to find her looking at him. He smiles brightly before standing to face Cassandra, who was examining her nails, completely uninterested in the transaction that just happened. "And now for you."

"But... everything's happy. Everything's fine... can't you just leave me?" she partially begged.

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." The Doctor said.

"I don't want to die." Cassandra pleaded, crying.

"No one does."

"Help me!" she cried.

"I can't." Just then Chip appears, catching Cassandra by surprise.

"Mistress!" he cheered.

"Ah! You're alive!"

"I kept myself safe. For you, mistress." Cassandra stared at him, an idea striking her.

"A body... and not just that, a volunteer..." she thought out loud.

"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own." The Doctor warned her.

"But I worship the mistress!" Chip smiled. Cassandra winked at him. "I welcome her."

"You can't, Cassandra, you -" Cassandra leaps from Rose's body over into Chips, completely ignoring the Doctor. Rose falls forward into the Doctors grasp. "Whoa! You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah -" she breathed out. She finally regains her balance and gathers herself together and finds herself staring right into the Doctor's face. She smiled, "hello!" The Doctor smiled back.

"Hello. Welcome back." Rose gazes up at him, smiling, when they're distracted again by Cassandra.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." she complained.

"You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the City. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour. And certainly my finest hat." The Doctor and Rose glance at each other. "But I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life. And he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last-" Her legs give way, Rose and the Doctor lunge forward to support her.

"You all right?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm fine." She pauses, the Doctor and Rose look at her in concern. "I'm dying. But that's fine."

"I can take you to the City." The Doctor tried calmly.

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die." Cassandra admitted causing Rose to look rather upset. Cassandra takes a deep breath and swallows. "And that's good." The Doctor and Rose helped him to her feet.

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." The Doctor said, walking over picking up the girl, knowing she can't walk well on her own. Rose and Cassandra followed him back to the TARDIS. He looked down at the girl, her blue eyes looking back up at him. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded. "So come on, you can talk to me. How'd you end up there?" She opened her mouth to respond but chose not to, and instead lowered her gaze. "It's all right. Take your time." he rubbed her back gently. "So then, what's your name?" She remained quiet, but she raised her hand and weakly made a writing motion. He nodded towards Rose, "In my jacket I have a note-pad and pen, can you get it?" Rose dug in his pockets producing a note-pad and pen, quickly handing it to the girl, giving her a warm smile.

The corner of the girl's mouth lifted slightly in return but she quickly focused in writing down her name. She fumbled slightly, barely able to hold the pen correctly. After she was finished she handed it pad to Rose, resting her head on the Doctor's shoulders. Rose fell back into stride with the Doctor, looking at the paper.

"Allyson." Rose read. The Doctor smiled at the name.

"Allyson, what a brilliant name!" When they reached the TARDIS Allyson was asleep on the Doctor's shoulder, he quietly took her back to the med-bay to let her rest.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The TARDIS engines whirl until it solidifies. The Doctor steps out of the doors, followed by Rose and Cassandra. The room they stepped into was set for a party, people were gathered around talking and drinking. A blonde in the center of attention, chatting up a storm. Cassandra turns to the Doctor. "Thank you." she cried.

"Just go. And don't look back." he smiled.

"Good luck." Cassandra walks into the midst of the party, up to the blonde woman. She smiles watching herself. "Excuse me... Lady Cassandra..." she called out.

"I'm sorry, I don't need anything right now - I'm fine, thank you." She turned away.

"No - I just wanted to say... you look beautiful." Cassandra looks at him, smiling a little at the compliment.

"Well. That's very kind, you strange little thing. Thank you very much."

"I mean it." Cassandra steps forward and looks straight into her old eyes. "You look... so beautiful." she said sincerely. Cassandra stared at herself, touched that someone thought she was beautiful so sincerely.

"Thank you." she whispered. Cassandra's eyes fluttered close and she falls over.

"Oh, my Lord. Are you alright? What is it? What's wrong? Someone get some help!" Cassandra knelled down next to Chips body and gathered him into her arms "Call a medic or something, quickly!"

"Who is he?" a woman from the party asked.

"I don't know. He just came up to me. I don't even know his name. He just collapsed. I think he's dying. Someone do something! I've got you, sweetheart... it's all right..."

Rose was close to tears as she watched the scene unfolded before her, the Doctor stood watching solemnly.

"There you are.. there you are, I've got you... it'll be all right. There, there, you poor little thing..." Cassandra gently rocked Chip. The Doctor and Rose slowly walked back to the TARDIS. The Doctor paused, looking back out at Cassandra rocking Chip in her arms still waiting for help, before following Rose through the doors.

Rose and the Doctor bid each other good night once they were back inside the TARDIS. The Doctor walked back into the med-bay to check on Allyson and found her sitting up in her bed waiting for him. He smiled at her and handed her a glass of water he had grabbed from the kitchen. "Here you go. Hopefully that'll help with your scratch voice." She gladly accepted the drink and sipped from it. "Now, how did you end up in New New York?" She reached out and grabbed a pad of paper and pen from the table by the bed.

"I don't remember." she wrote. The Doctor furrowed his borrows.

"Why don't you try talking?"

"I can't." She wrote.

"Oh come on, try. You'll never know til you try." He tried. She took a bigger sip of the water before wetting her lips. She opened her mouth and attempted to talk, but nothing came out. A concentrated look crossed the Doctors features. "All right. Lets try something else." He leaned forward, placing his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He placed his hands on the sides of her face and concentrated harder. A single quiet thought entered his focused mind.

_"Hello."_

__..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N: **Hello! This is my first story on so I'm sorry if there are some issues.. Just PM or something me and I'll try to fix it. I really hope you guys like it! I'm not sure when the next part will be up.. hopefully sometime later this week, maybe this weekend. But yeah, if you have any questions feel free to ask, unless they're going to be answered soon I'll answer.

I just felt bad for poor Chip! He's such a lovable little guy, so simple, enthusiastic, and devoted to Cassandra. It's so sweet! And I love the printing on his skin.


	2. Chapter 2: Tooth and Claw

**Chapter 2. Tooth and Claw.**

Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor stands by the console checking out a CD like object, while Rose finishes zipping up her back pack and stowing it away. Allyson sits curled up in the seats, changed into a white v-neck short sleeved shirt and dark blue boot cut jeans. A large fleece blanket covers her since she's so underweight she has problems regulating her body temperature. The Doctor had allowed her to finally be able to communicate with others, albeit it is only with him and Rose since the TARDIS amplifies telepathic abilities'. She couldn't talk to anyone outside the TARDIS unless she held physical contact with them, but seeing as she was so weak the Doctor wasn't about to let her go out on any of his adventures anytime soon. Rose stands straight, showing the Doctor her outfit, which happened to be over-alls with a skirted bottom. Underneath she wore a purple shirt and black leggings.

"What do you think of this? Will it do?" She spun around giving him a complete 360 view.

"In the late 1970s? You'd better off in a bin bag. Hold on, listen to this." He inserts the CD into a player and "Hit me with your Rhythm Stick" blasts out of the speakers. The Doctor meanders around the controls. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979."

"You're a Punk!" Rose exclaimed. The Doctor begins to sing along to the music.

"It's good to be a lunatic -"

"That's what you are. A big old Punk with a bit of Rockabilly thrown in."

"Would you like to see him?" He offered. Rose gaped at him.

"How'd you mean? In concert?"

"What else is a TARDIS for?" They both begin to dance around the console, Allyson quietly watching them and listening to the music. She felt out of place, like she didn't belong. She was only there because of the Face of Boe telling the Doctor to protect her. They didn't want her, they only tolerated her presence. Completely ignoring her. "I can take you to the Battle of Trafalgar... the first anti-gravity Olympics... Caesar crossing the Rubicon... or... Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November, 1979. What do you think?"

"Sheffield it is!" Rose choose. Allyson would have much preferred to see the anti-gravity Olympics, it sounded rather comical. Seeing people struggling to pole-vault, instead they'd only launch themselves into the unknown. Swimmers swimming through water that was floating in mid-air. Hell, even the runners would have a hard time running. It would brighten her spirits to see some comedy, but she was a third wheel. They wouldn't consider what she wanted unless they were idea-less about what they wanted to do, and with the Doctor that was near impossible.

"Hold on tight!" The Doctor cheered. Rose danced over to Allyson and helped hold her in the chair, knowing she wasn't quiet strong enough to hold herself yet. The Doctor pulls a lever and the TARDIS gives a huge lurch forward as it spins through the Vortex. The Doctor begins whacking the TARDIS console with a mallet to the beat of the music, shouting as well. Allyson didn't know how to pilot the blue box, but she was sure it didn't involve a hammer.

"Stop!" Rose shouts over the noise. The shaking stops and they all fall to the floor, the Doctor and Rose laughing their heads off.

"1979. Hell of a year!" The Doctor helps Rose to her feet before helping Allyson, placing her back on the chair. He and Rose bounce over to the doors, the Doctor grabbing his jacket from the Y-beam. "China invades Vietnam... the Muppet Movie! Love that film. Margaret Thatcher... urgh... Skylab falls to Earth.. with a little help from me... nearly took off my thumb." the Doctor rambles as they leave, leaving poor Allyson all alone.

They had talked about this earlier, until she got her strength up she couldn't accompany them. She could only sit in the TARDIS and watch the monitors or explore the inner maze of the amazing machine. She shakily stood from the chair wrapping the blanket around her to keep her warm and headed off to find the kitchen.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

_"So, you can talk now, I bet you're just amazed that it's bigger on the inside right?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows as he helped her into the main control room. She gave him a slightly pointed look as pictures of cat people, zombies, and a large face flash in his mind. He frowned slightly, understanding what she was getting at. Having just been abducted by cat people, nearly attacked by zombies, and a talking face she's not surprised to find a small box to be bigger on the inside. Although she did have to admit she wasn't expecting it to be quiet so big. She could easily get lost in the machine she thought. The Doctor caught her, "Nah, she's slightly telepathic as well, well.. more so than you, well... maybe not.. Anyway, she would be able to sense what you're looking for so that way you aren't searching for it for years." he smiled like it was the most normal thing in the universe, which Allyson was begin to feel, was normal._

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

She walked down the hallways, passing doorways that held no interest for her, including the ball pit room. She wasn't quiet sure why the Doctor felt he needed one. She continued to wonder, occasionally passing the same rooms twice. Panic rose in her heart, afraid that she was lost in the enormous machine and with no Doctor here to find her she was sure she was doomed. Tears built up in her eyes, blurring her vision, but she pressed on. She knew the only way forward was...forward.

As she was exploring she discovered a room full of electronics. Curiosity got the best of her and she walked in, forgetting her fears. She found the room to be far bigger than she expected. It was about 2 stories tall with towering shelves full of odds and ends of random electronic pieces that she was beginning to think were the Doctor's old tools. She walked around, finding an object that closely resembled a sonic screwdriver. It was ripped in half, with wires sticking out. She picked up the remains, closely examining it she noticed it had a thin layer of slightly crusted slim covering it as well as some teeth marks. Yeap, definitely the Doctor's junkyard.. She picked up the destroyed tool and carried it with her. Instead of searching for the kitchen she was now looking for the bathroom.

After an hours of looking the TARDIS seemed to sense what she was looking for and materialized the bathroom right next to the kitchen. Allyson walked into the kitchen and grabbed carrots and cream cheese. She placed them on a plate before heading into the restroom. From there she grabbed some q-tips and toilet paper. She began her quest back to the main control room with her arms full of food, toiletries, and an old broken screwdriver.

The TARDIS, being more in tune with Allyson now, moved the rooms around so she wouldn't have far to walk, which was a welcome relief to Allyson since she was growing exhausted from the walking. She walked into the control room and sat down on the grates, her blanket laid out beneath her so that no little screws could escape. Her little nest places strategically in front of the monitor that displayed the Doctor and Rose so that way she could keep tabs on them. Ian Dury still playing in the background.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose investigates the wardrobe in the room that she was given, looking through the dresses trying to find one that wasn't to appalling before settling on a blue dress. She places the dress down on the bed and crosses the room to open another wardrobe. She screams as a young girl dressed in a maids outfit is cowering inside it, breathing heavily from fear. Rose gently coaxes her out of the wardrobe, telling that she wasn't going to hurt her.

"They came through the house. The incitements, they took the Steward and the Master. And my Lady." she said, her fear evident in her voice. Rose reaches over and grabs her hand and squeezes it in comforting manor.

"Listen - I've got a friend, he's called the Doctor - he'll know what to do. You've gotta come with me."

"Oh, but I can't, Miss." The woman looked down at the floor, still scared for her life.

"What's your name?"

"Flora."

"Flora, we'll be safe. There's more people arrived downstairs - soldiers and everything, and they can help us. I promise. Come on. Okay? Come on." She gently pulls Flora behind her as she cautiously approaches the door and peers out of it, checking to make sure the coast is clear. She lead's Flora down the corridor, they round the corner to find an unconscious guard.

"Oh, Miss. I did warn you!" Flora cried. Rose knelt and felt for a pulse, finding it to be very slow but still existent.

"He's not dead.. I don't think - he must be drugged or something." She reasoned. Flora is suddenly grabbed and dragged away, a hand covering her mouth to stifle any screams she may make. Before Rose can react, she too is grabbed and dragged away. A monk appears and drags away the guards unconscious body- Father Angelo stepping over his body and goes into the dining room.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Father Angelo walks into the dining room, giving nothing away about what had just transpired. "You companion begs an apology, Doctor. Her clothing has somewhat delayed her."

"Oh, that's all right. Save her a wee bit of ham." The Doctor waved him off.

"The feral child could probably eat it raw." Queen Victoria reasoned. Captain Reynolds laughed.

"Very wise, Ma'am! Very witty!" The Queen stared at him appraising him.

"Slightly witty, perhaps. I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited... I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury." The Captain meekly looked down at his plate.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." He apologized.

"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert! Come, Sir! You promised a tale of nightmares." The Doctor said, trying to avoid an awkward silence.

"Indeed. Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction" The Queen said. The Doctor looked over at her with a sad look in his eye.

"You must miss him." He said sympathetically. Queen Victoria looked back at him.

"Very much." She dazed off, lost in her thoughts with a sad look upon her face. "Oh, completely. And that's the charm of a ghost story, isn't it? Not the scares and chills, that's just for children, but the... hope of some contact with the great beyond." The Doctor continued to watch her intensely. "We all want some message from that place... it's the Creator's greatest mystery that we are allowed no such consolation. The dead stay silent. And we must wait." She shakes herself from her own train of thought, but the Doctor still has a solemn look upon his face. He looks down at his food, suddenly finding it interesting as he remembers all the people he killed in the Time War. Saddened by all the lives he had to end, just to end the war, so it wouldn't spread all over the universe. "Come! Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves. Tell us of monsters!"

Sir Robert readies himself as he recalled the story. "The story goes back 300 years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock are found ripped apart and... devoured."

"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that." Captain Reynolds reasoned.

"But sometimes a child goes missing. Once in a generation A boy will vanish from his homestead."

"Are there descriptions of the creatures?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh yes, Doctor." Sir Robert answered. "Drawings and woodcarvings. And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." The Doctor leans forward, thoroughly intrigued.

"A werewolf?"

"My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast - to have learned its purpose." Robert continued. Father Angelo looked out of the window, like something had caught his eye. "I should've listened." Robert glances at Father Angelo. "His work was hindered - he made enemies. There's a Monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations."

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." Queen Victoria suggested.

"That's what I thought. But now I wonder… what if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet?" Sir Robert said. Suddenly the Doctor's attention was drawn to Father Angelo, who was standing by the window, chanting Latin under this breath - the same words, over and over again - "lupus deus est."

"What if they turned from God and worshiped the wolf?" Robert continued to ask.

"And what if they were with us right now?" The Doctor asked, still staring at Father Angelo. Realization coming into light.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Queen demanded. Captain Reynolds stood, pointing a gun at Sir Robert.

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" He commanded.

"What's happening -" She began to panic.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife." Robert said, sullen.

"Rose! Where's Rose? Where is she!?" The Doctor stood, demanding that Father Angelo tell him where Rose was. Concern flooded his mind, causing him to drop his Scottish accent. But the Father ignores him and keeps chanting under his breath. "Sir Robert - come on!" They both run from the room, Captain Reynold's gun is now pointing at Father Angelo.

"Tell me, sir. I demand to know your intention!" Captain Reynold's ordered. Father Angelo continued to chant. "What is it that you want?" He asked. The Father stopped chanting and turns to the Captain.

"The throne." He answered simply. Very suddenly he wrenches Captain Reynold's gun aside and hits him. The Queen sits there in shock.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor kicks down a door that appears to lead to a cellar and inside is a giant wolf. He stares at the creature, amazed as it grabs hold of the bars on its cage. "Oh, that's beautiful!" He remarked. Sir Robert barged in and caught sight of his wife.

"Get out!" He ordered, mostly to her, wanting her safe. As the wolf begins to bend and break the bars to its cage the household staff all clamor out of the cellar. The werewolf throws off the last of its cage causing the Doctor to remember the severity of the situation and turn back to the prisoners who are still trying to escape.

"Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" The Doctor ushered, Rose helping a few of the feeble ones.

"Come on.." she said under her breath. The werewolf stands tall, stretching, free from its cage. The werewolf throws the top of the cage in the Doctor's direction, who narrowly dodges it as he makes a run for it. He quickly used his sonic on the door, locking it, before running again.

The Steward walks around, and hands a gun to all the men. "Arms… and your strife… ready everyone?" He asks before turning to Lady Isobel. "Take the girls. Get them out through the kitchen." he told her, wanting her safe. She walks up to her husband, a sad look in her eyes.

"I can't leave you. What will you do?"

"I must defend her Majesty. Now, don't think of me - just go." He told her. Lady Isobel kisses him quickly and then gathers her maids.

"All of you at my side, come on!" She told them, all of them following her to the kitchen. While freeing Rose from her handcuffs with his sonic he talks quickly.

"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths - did it say what it wanted?" He asked.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne - you name it." Thumping is heard from the cellar and they both look around wearily. The Doctor steps out into the corridor to investigate. The wolf had managed to knock down the door and now stands at the end of the hallway. The Doctor and the wolf lock eyes for a few seconds before the werewolf lets out a menacing growl causing the Doctor to retreat back into the room. Grabbing Rose's hand he quickly pulls her behind a row of men who were armed and ready to fire.

"Fire!" The Steward yelled. The men release their ammunition on the wolf, who stumbles back but still not downed. "Fire!" he ordered again, the men shooting the wolf yet again, causing Rose to flinch from the sound. The room was filled with smoke from the firing squad, but there is no sign of the wolf.

"All right, you men, we should retreat upstairs, come with me." The Doctor said, trying to usher them upstairs. The Steward turned to the Doctor.

"I'll not retreat. The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault." He said smugly.

"I'm telling you, come upstairs!" The Doctor was beginning to get angry, he didn't want anyone else to die.

"And I'm telling you, sir, that I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall." The Steward strides into the corridor, checking for the werewolf but finds nothing. The Doctor eyes him, looking extremely angry and concerned. The Steward walks back in not looking as triumphant as he previously had. "Must've crawled away to die -" He said still proud until he was lifted off the ground and clean through the ceiling by the werewolf, who devoured him.

"There's nothing we can do!" The Doctor turned, grabbing Rose and pushing her from the room with him. The men in the firing squad still stand, stunned as to what just happened before being devoured by the wolf as well.

The Doctor, Rose and Sir Robert hurry into a room. The Doctor, slamming the door shut, turns and locks it with his sonic screwdriver. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Sir Robert called seeing her come down the stairs.

"Sir Robert! What's happening?" She asked as the Doctor dashes off. "I heard such terrible noises."

"Your Majesty - we've got to get out. But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?"

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." She said evenly. The Doctor came rushing back into the room.

"The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, Your Majesty - you'll have to leg it out of a window." He gestured through a door and the Queen obliges, with her head held high. Sir Robert follows closely and they find themselves in another upstairs room.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egrees." He said, ignoring the fact is was a rather bad time for formality.

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." The Queen smiled lightly.

"Yeah, any change you could hurry up?" The Doctor said, getting impatient. Sir Robert climbs onto the window sill and immediately dodges out of the way as he is shot by Monks who were standing outside. The Doctor looks out the window with wide eyes. "I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside."

"Do they know who I am?" The Queen said, appalled by such an act. Rose stepped forward.

"Yeah, that's why they want ya. The wolf's lined you up for a… a biting." Queen Victoria looked at her flabbergasted.

"Now, stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." No sooner had she spoke those words did a howl strike up, ringing throughout the house. They all turn around with alarm and leave the room hurriedly. They run into a hallway as the wolf batters on the door.

"What do we do?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"We… run!"

"Is that it?" She breathed.

"You got any silver bullets?" He countered.

"Not on me, no!"

"There we are then, we run. Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog." The Doctor began to jog in place as a demonstration. "Good for the health. Come on!" He grabbed the Queen's hand and leads her from the room, running as fast as they can up the staircase as the wolf finally manages to break down the door. "Come on! Come on!" Once at the top of the stairs, they run through the corridors, the wolf following close behind. Right as it's about to pounce Captain Reynolds appears, holding a gun. He shoots the beast and it reels backwards. The Captain ducks behind the corridor where the others were standing, catching their breath.

"I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving, for God's sake! Your Majesty - I went to look for the property, it was taken. The chest was empty."

"I have it. It's safe." She told him calmly.

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am. Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector. And you, Sir Robert - you're a traitor to the crown." The Captain cocks his gun, ready to hold off the wolf.

"Bullets can't stop it!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"They'll buy you time. Now, run!" He said, positioning himself at the end of the corridor, gun held at the ready. The group began to run, Rose pausing for a short while staring in dismay at the Captain before she followed behind them. The Doctor, Queen Victoria, and Robert run into the library, Rose stops outside and watches Captain Reynolds shooting the werewolf as it charges down the corridor. It pounces on him and quickly gets to work devouring him. Rose stands there frozen in horror at the scene and can't move. Fear making her body stiff.

"Rose!" The Doctor rushes through the door and grabs he around the waist and yanks her back into the room, slamming the door shut just in time.

They barricade the doors with chairs and odd bits of wood. "Wait a minute, shh, wait a minute…" The wolf howls in the silence. "It's stopped." He steps up onto a chair and listens through the door. He hears the wolf sniff and growl. Then, it turns and leaves. "It's gone." he pondered. Footsteps pad around the outside of the room.

"Listen…" Rose whispered. The Doctor quietly climbs down off the chair. Silence rings in their ears as they follow the wolf around the room, terrified. The Queen stands in the middle shaking like a leaf.

"Is this the only door?" The Doctor whispers.

"Yes." Sir Robert answered, before quickly changing his mind. "No!" He dashes to another door along with the door and they also barricade it shut.

"Shh!" Rose shushed. They look around, still terrified, listening to the werewolf. Then it suddenly stops and footsteps pad away into the distance. "I don't understand. What's stopping it?"

"Something inside this room." The Doctor said, thinking hard. Sir Robert sits in a chair barricading a door and places his head in his hands. "What is it? Why can't it get in?"

"I'll tell you what, though…" Rose began. The Doctor looks over at her puzzled.

"What?"

"Werewolf..!" She cheered, the Doctor grinned back at her.

"I know!" Rose stifles a laugh and they hug, silently celebrating. "You all right?"

"I'm okay, yeah!" Queen Victoria stands silently by, watching them with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's all my fault. I should've sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong, I… thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" Sir Robert spoke up from behind the Doctor and Rose.

"Well, they were bald, athletic… your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." The Doctor replied.

"I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now." Rose smiled at the Queen who was fuming.

"Do you think this is funny?" Rose's smile dropped and she hung her head slightly.

"No, Ma'am, I'm sorry." she meekly apologized.

"What, exactly, I pray someone please - what exactly is that creature?" Queen Victoria demanded. The Doctor stepped forward, scratching his head.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." He said, slightly unsure of how the Queen was going to respond.

"And should I trust you, sir? You who change your voice to easily? What happened to your accent?" She inquired.

"Oh… right, sorry -" He mumbled, realizing that he had dropped it some time ago apparently.

"I'll not have it. No, sir - not you.. Not that thing… none of it. This is not my world."

The Doctor walks over to the door and touches the woodwork, attempting to work out why the wolf couldn't get in. "Mistletoe… Sir Robert, did your father put that there?"

"I don't' know, I suppose.." He mumbled thinking it slightly irrelevant.

"On the other door, too… a carving would be enough… I wonder." The Doctor said, thinking out loud. He leaned in a licked the door. "Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe - it's been worked into the wood like a varnish! How clever was your dad? I love him!" He turned to Rose. "Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins." He smiled.

"And the wolf's allergic to it?" She said, trying to follow him.

"Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf, maybe they trained it to react against certain things." He theorized.

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert said, trying to get the Doctor on to a more effective topic.

"Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?"

"Being rude again." Rose said to the Doctor. He gave a curt nod.

"Good. I meant that one. You want weapons?" He said, striding towards a bookshelf. "We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world!" He whipped his glasses on and pulls some books off the shelves. "This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He chucked some books towards Rose. "Arm yourself."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

In the kitchen Lady Isobel and the maids were hard at work chopping up mistletoe and boiling it. "No sound of the wolf, my Lady. " Flora smiled lightly. "Perhaps it's gone."

"Perhaps it's toying with us. But my husbands up there. And if there's any chance he's still alive then by God, I'll assist him." Flora throws some mistletoe into the boiling water as someone walks in through the door. They all freeze, afraid it was the wolf or a monk but instead see a skinny girl. Her cheeks were red and she looked exhausted. Breathing heavy she weakly walked over to the women and held up a piece of paper.

Lady Isobel stepped forward, seeing the girl was no threat, and read the paper in her hands. She gave a light nod and turned to the rest of her maids. "Quickly, now!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor, Rose, and Sir Robert were all flipping through books frantically. "Biology, zoology… there might be something on wolves in here…" Rose rambled. The Doctor chucked another book at Rose.

"Hold on, what about this?" He mumbled. Sir Robert still sat flicking through pages.

"…some form of explosive…" He thought out loud.

"Hmm, that's the sort of thing. Ooh…" The Doctor jumps down from the ladder, hold a very old looking book which he gently places on the table and opened it. "Look what your old dad found. Something fell to Earth." He pointed to the open page. An illustration of a meteorite falling to Earth. Rose and Sir Robert huddle around the Doctor.

"A spaceship?" She thought.

"A shooting star. 'In the year of our Lord, 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit.' That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by Monastery." He read.

"But that's over 300 years ago. What's it been waiting for?" Rose asked.

"Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations. It survived through the humans. Host after host after host." The Doctor worked out.

"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert looked up at the Doctor. He seemed to know everything.

"That's what it wants. It said so, the… the Empire of the Wolf." She recalled from down in the cellar when it was talking.

"Imagine it… the Victorian age accelerated… star-ships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam…leaving history devastated in its wake…" The Doctor imagined the world, foreboding tone in his voice.

"Sir Robert!" The Queen stood as he walked over. "If I am to die here.."

"Don't say that, Your Majesty."

"I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." She opened her back and fished around looking for something.

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor said from the table.

"Thank you for your opinion. But there is nothing more valuable than this." she pulls out a large diamond, Koh-I-Noor, and holds it in her palm. Rose looks over amazed.

"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?"

"Oh, yess… the greatest diamond in the world." The Doctor and Rose shuffle forward to getting a better look.

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die." She said.

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough. Can I…?" He held out his hand, asking for the diamond and Queen Victoria places it gingerly in his palm. He pulls down his glasses and looks at it closely. Rose leans in and pokes at it, her eyes wide in wonder. "That is so beautiful."

"How mush is that worth?" She asked him.

"They say.. The wages of the entire planet for a whole week." Rose peers at it, astounded by the sheer amount of money.

"Good thing my mum's not here. She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing." The Doctor smiled.

"And she'd win." Rose laughed at that.

"Where is the wolf?" Sir Robert asked, walking around." I don't trust this silence." The Doctor looked up at the Queen.

"Why do you travel with it?"

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew. The Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting."

"Oh, but it's perfect." Rose breathed.

"My late husband never thought so." The Doctor stood, removing his glasses.

"Now, there's a fact - Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be 40 percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting."

"He always said.. The shine wasn't quiet right. But he died with it still unfinished." The Doctor looked up, it finally hit him.

"Unfinished… oh, yes!" He tossed the diamond back to the Queen. He started rambling quickly, "There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research - your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond - hold on, hold on -" he paced about ruffling his hair in a violent attempt to work out the problem. "All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected! Oh, my head, my head! What if - this house, it's a trap for you - is that right, Ma'am?"

"Obviously."

"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But! What if there's a trap inside the trap!" He ranted off.

"Explain yourself, Doctor." The Queen said, giving him a ghastly look.

"What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true. And they planned against it. Laying the real trap not for you.. But for the wolf." A bit of dust fell to the ground and they all look up, spotting the wolf walking over the glass dome. "That wolf there…" The glass began to crack and they throw down the books and run with the Queen to the door. "Out! Out! Out!" He cried as the wolf crashes through, smashing the desk. The Doctor, Rose, and Sir Robert disassemble one of the barricades and run into the corridor.

"Your Majesty!" Sir Robert shouted. The Doctor looks back at the wolf before slamming the door shut.

The four of them run down the hallways, following the Doctor. "Gotta get to the observatory!" He said as they careened around a corner, the werewolf following. Rose turns around to see how far behind the wolf is only to get transfixed by it, fear striking her heart. She screams just as the wolf comes upon her but Lady Isobel throws a jug of mistletoe water onto the wolf. The wolf growls but bounds back down the corridor, leaving them for the time being. "Good shot!"

"it was mistletoe!" She smiled, happy to help and happy to see her husband alive and okay. The Doctor heads down the corridor, checking to see the wolf gone.

"Isobel!" Sir Robert pulled her in and gave her a loving kiss. "Get back downstairs." He told her.

"Keep yourself safe." She gave him another kiss before leaving with her maids, heading back to the kitchen. "Girls, come with me. Down the back stairs, back to the kitchen. Quickly!" As they run off, Sir Robert stares after his wife, a look in his eyes that suggests he's wondering if he'll ever see her again.

"Come on!" the Doctor called as they set off at a run again.

"The observatory's this way!" Sir Robert took the lead as they reached the central staircase and hurried up them as fast as they could, but the werewolf soon followed them. The Doctor leading them in.

"No mistletoe on these doors, your father wanted the wolf to get inside! Get inside I just need time! Is there any way of barricading this?!" The Doctor looked around frantic.

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Sir Robert, knowing what he must do, stood back by the door. The Doctor just keep looking about.

"If we could bind them shut with rope or something!" He tried.

"I said I'd find you time, sir." Sir Robert said with determination in his voice. Rose and the Queen stare at him in shock. "Now get inside." He ordered. The Doctor looks over at him.

"Good man." The Doctor says, resting his hand on the guy's shoulder a moment before heading over to the Queen. "Your Majesty, the diamond." She looked up at him still in shock.

"For what purpose?"

"The purpose it was designed for."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Sir Robert stands outside the door, locking it as he hears the werewolf howl as it neared. He turned and armed himself with a sword from the display on the wall. As the wolf runs up the stairs a girl runs up to him. He looks over at her shocked, she was gasping for breath and her limbs shook. "My God, Ma'am, what on Earth are you doing out here?" She ran up to him and placed a wreath around his neck. He quickly glanced back looking for the wolf, not really bothering to wonder about the wreath. He horridly opened the door and shoved the girl inside, knowing she'd be safe in there with the Doctor. He sighed as the werewolf has seemed to had found him. He turned and stood like the guard he was. Silently and bravely awaiting his death.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"You said this thing doesn't work!" Rose tried.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is! It's a light chamber! It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just go to power it up!"

"But there's no electricity!" The Doctor grunts and turns to the light chamber. None of them noticing the girl standing by the door, hobbling over to the wall to catch her breath and rest. "Moonlight! But it needs moonlight! It's made by moonlight!" Rose cheered having worked it out herself.

"You're 70 percent water but you can still drown. Come on!" The light chamber begins to alight with the moon. "Come on!" He said encouragingly. Once it was aligned they stepped away from the gears as the moonlight bounces off the prisms. Just as then the Doctor notices something. "Allyson!? What are you doing here!" Ran over to her, hearing the sound of running footpads, and grabbed her. Pulling her to the ground just as the werewolf breaks through the door, the light falling on the floor, far short of the wolf. The werewolf stalks towards the Queen but the Doctor quickly removes himself from Allyson and dives across the floor. He throws the Koh-I-Noor into the light. A brilliant prismatic beam of light hit's the werewolf. He is lifted off the floor and hangs there. Allyson covers her eyes from the bright light. As the others watch the werewolf takes human form.

"_Make it brighter. Let me go."_ It whispered quietly. The Doctor stands and walks across the chamber, flicking a switch the light grows brighter. A howl escapes the wolf as it vanishes and the light shuts off. Rose breathes a huge sigh of relief, as does Allyson who tries to stand up. The Queen, stands silently, staring at the wound on her wrist. The Doctor notices.

"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?"

"No, it's… it's a cut." she mumbled, trying to shake him off.

"If that thing bit you.."

"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart." She said quickly.

"Let me see." He walked over to her and grabbed her arm, trying to check her wound but she snapped her hand back.

"It is nothing." She snapped. He stands there and stares at her not believing her one bit.

..::.::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor and Rose step forward before Queen Victoria and kneel. Everyone standing to the side, watching silently. Lady Isobel and Sir Robert holding each other, happy to be alive. Some of the maid stood by Allyson to be sure she was fine.

"By the power invest in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Sir Doctor of TARDIS." She gently taps him on each shoulder with a sword before turning to Rose. "By the power invested in my by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Dame Rose of the Powell Estate." She repeated the gesture to Rose and lowered the sword. "You may stand." They rise together.

"Many thanks, Ma'am."

"Thanks! They're never going to believe this back home." Rose smiled causing Flora to smile too.

"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving a message from the great beyond; I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now Ma'am, even from beyond the grave." The Doctor said, trying to shine a little light into her life again.

"Indeed. Then you may think on this, also: that I am not amused." She said flatly. The Doctor groans while Rose smiles widely. Allyson, having heard them bet in the TARDIS smiled slightly.

"Yes!"

"Not remotely amused." She tried in vain to wipe the smile off her face and barely succeeds. "and henceforth… I banish you." The Doctor and Rose look at her stunned.

"I'm sorry…?" He tried, thinking he's become hard of hearing.

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor. And now you are exiled from this empire, never to return. I don't know what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars - and magic - and think it fun. But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death and I will not allow it! You will leave this shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you managed to stray so far from all that is good. And how much longer you will survive this.. Terrible life." She steps away from them angrily. "Now leave my world. And never return." She commanded.

..::..::.::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose, Allyson, and the Doctor all sit in the back of a farmer's cart, Allyson laying back on the hay, still recovering from all the exercise as it comes to a halt. "Woah!" The farmer called. They jump off the cart and head back to the TARDIS.

"Cheers, Dougal!" The Doctor waved good-bye to the farmer before walking with the two girls. "You know, the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood! It's historical record haemophiliac. It used to be called the Royal Disease! But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it her dad didn't have it - it came from nowhere!" he said rather happy after just being banished.

"what, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?"

"Well, maybe Haemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism." He smiled.

"For werewolf?" Rose asked, wanting to be clear at what the Doctor was implying. He just smiled wider.

"Could be!"

"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?"

"Could be! And, her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip." he laughed. Rose continued on disbelievingly.

"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?"

"Well… maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take.. A hundred years to mature… might be ready by… oooh… early 21st century….?" Rose laughed at him.

"Nah! That's just ridiculous! Mind you… Princess Anne..!"

"I'll say no more."

"And if you think about it… they're very private. They plan everything in advance. They - they could schedule themselves around the moon - we'd never know!" The Doctor snickers at Rose as they reach the TARDIS and he opens the door, letting the women in first. "They like hunting! They love blood sport! Oh my God, they're werewolves!" Rose continued, the Doctor laughed again as they begin to walk up to the main console. They both stop at the sight before them. The blanket Allyson had been using was covered with dirty q-tips and toilet paper, some tools from the TARDIS, grease, and a plate with an empty bag of carrots and cream cheese. They both look over at Allyson as she stands back by the door looking down. Her face slightly red. She'd been in a hurry to help them. She hadn't time to clean up her awful mess.

"Allyson, what did you do?" The Doctor asked her softly. She hid in her hair and looked away. The Doctor walked back up to her, Rose a few steps behind. "Hey, you can tell me. I wont be mad." She peeked up at him and pulled out a black cylindrical object from the hoodie she had grabbed from the wardrobe. The Doctor reached out and grabbed it, quickly putting on his specs. "This…" he looked up at he and then back down, he turned so he could see Rose and held it up for her. "This is a sonic screwdriver." They both looked at Allyson who had pulled up her hood, her hair falling out of one side. The Doctor flipped it open and found a mini panel for adjusting the settings, he quickly turned it on. A blue light flashed at the top. He glanced over it again seeing small markings that had been made from teeth on it. He recalled the bite marks from a baby Racnoss he'd found when he was younger. It had grabbed it from him thinking it was a chew toy. "You fixed this?" he asked her, just to clarify. This girl was being to become a mystery. She bit her lip and nodded, images flickering in his mind of where she found it and of her working on. He beamed. "That's brilliant! You've completely upgraded it." He smiled at Rose and pointed at Allyson, "She brilliant." He laughed and Rose smiled too. Glad to have found something that the girl knew how to do. The Doctor handed her back the screwdriver as they all walked back to the console. Allyson began to pick up her mess, Rose moving into help her, as the Doctor piloted the TARDIS.

Allyson sat on the chair in the main control room fiddling with her sonic when the Doctor walked up, a chest in his hands. "Here let's test to see if it works." He held out the chest and placed it on the chair next to her. She smiled up at him and pulled out her sonic, she flashed the lock on the chest, her sonic making a slower pulsing noise than his. The lock clicked, indicating that it had worked and Allyson went open the chest but the Doctor beat her too it. He snatched the chest up and opened it, a fond smile on his face as he stared at the contents. He glanced up at her and smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Brilliant." he said quietly and walked off to place the chest back in his room.

..::..::.::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Yeah, sorry I would have had this out last night and could have spent today typing up Chapter 3 BUT my laptop had to rude and not let me sign in all the way. So I tried to recover it but that didn't work and then I had to spend all night reformatting it. Then this morning before my job interview I had to install my wireless drivers. I just now got it all up and working again with Firefox and Avast installed on it. Thankfully I have my stories saved on a flash drive! I laugh because I was just thinking about putting them on my laptop. Whew! Catastrophe adverted!

Anyway, I know this is a very Allyson-lite chapter but she is very weak. She really pushed herself trying to get to the estate to save the Doctor but only ended up saving Sir Robert. But hey, it's someone =] And thank you guys SO MUCH for the reviews. I squealed with joy when I read them. Maybe next chapter Allyson may get a bit of a bigger say in things. Any questions feel free to ask away!

Tatty-bye, love!


	3. Chapter 3: School Reunion

**Chapter 3: School Reunion**

A boy, Kenny, heads into a science lab and sits in his seat. The door opens and in steps the Doctor. He drops his bag down on the desk and faces the class. "Good morning, class. Are we sitting comfortably?" He asks, a grin breaking out across his face. He turns and scrawls the word 'physics' on the whiteboard. "So. Physics." He replaces the cap and chucks the marker over his shoulder. "Physics. Eh? Physics. Phyyyyyyyysics. Physics! Physics. Physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics." The class looked on, amused and glad to finally have an interesting instructor. "I hope one of you is getting all this down. Um, okay - let's see what you know. Two identical strips of nylon are charged with static electricity and hung from a string so they can swing freely. What would happen if they were brought near each other?" A boy raised his hand. "Yes - uh, what's your name?"

"Milo." The boy answered.

"Milo! Off you go."

"They'd repel each other because they have the same charge." The Doctor smiled.

"Correctamundo!" He paused. "A word I have never used before and hopefully never will again. Question 2 - I coil up a thin piece of micro wire and place it in a glass of water. Then I turn on the electricity and measure to see if the water's temperature is affected. My question is this; how do I measure the electrical power going into the coil?" Milo's hand shoots up again. "Someone else." The Doctor looked around the class room, no one moved. "Nope...? Okay, Milo - go for it."

"Measure the current and PDs in an ampmeter and voltmeter." The other student's look at Milo, impressed.

"Two to Milo! Right then, Milo, tell me this; true or false - the greater the dampening of the system, the quicker it loses energy to its surroundings." The Doctor asked, curiosity getting hold on him.

"False." Milo said, not missing a beat.

"What is a non-coding DNA?"

"DNA that doesn't code for a protein."

"65,983 times 5?"

"329,015" Some of the other students look on impressed while others are bothered by the boy.

"How do you travel faster than light?" He asked, a question that no one on Earth should know the answer to yet.

"By opening a quantum tunnel with an FTL factor of 36.7 recurring." The Doctor's mouth gaped open slightly. It was correct, and this whole thing was so wrong.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor walks down the hallway heading towards the cafeteria looking for Allyson who should be on break. He spots her standing in a corner quietly waiting for him. He gives her a warm smile as he walks up. "There you are! I was looking all over for you." She gave him a smile in return. He was happy to see her starting to come out of her shell, she had began to trust him and Rose and opened up to them as much as a person who couldn't talk or remember her past could. They walked into the lunch room, both grabbing trays as they walked through the line. They spotted Rose serving the children and smiled at her, she returned it with a dirty look, he just smirked in turn.

The Doctor and Allyson sat at a table and began eating. A while later Rose wanders over to their table as the Doctor spears a chip with his fork. He nibbles on it lightly before giving it an odd look. He looked over at Allyson. "Have you tried the chips yet? Taste a bit odd." She glanced down at them and picked one up, taking a small test bite. She glanced over at the Doctor before stuffing the rest of the chip into her mouth. The Doctor chuckled at her, glad to see her being more out-going.

"Two days." Rose spoke up from wiping the table.

"Sorry, could you just - there's a bit of gravy." He pointed his fork that still held a bit of a chip on the tip of it at the table. Rose gives him a pointed look and wipes the table. "No, no - just there." Allyson chuckled lightly, it sounded rough and ragged. The Doctor looked over at her and beamed.

"Two days, we've been here."

"Blame your boyfriend, he's the one who put us onto this. And he was right. Boy in class this morning - got a knowledge way beyond planet Earth."

"You eating those chips?" Rose looked more at Allyson than the Doctor. The girl seemed a bit of a picky eater but was willing to try anything at least once.

"Yeah, they're a bit... different." He peered down at his fork. Rose helps herself to one of the Doctor's chips and flings it into her mouth.

"I think they're gorgeous. Wish I had school dinners like this." She sat down across from the Doctor.

"It's very well behaved, this place." He glanced around the room, eying the children. Rose continued to put chips into her mouth.

"Mm." She hummed.

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones." Rose stared at him, slightly impressed. "Yeah? Yeah? Oh, yeah! Don't tell me I don't fit in." Allyson gave another small laugh, still sounding rough. A dinner lady approaches the table and begins to scold Rose.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting." Rose stood up suddenly nervous under the lunch ladies harsh gaze.

"I was just talking to this teacher." She pointed over at the Doctor.

"Hello!" He waved cheerily.

"He doesn't like the chips." She whispered to the lady, who looked over at the Doctor seemingly offended.

"The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance." She turned to face Rose." Now, get back to work." She walks away, leaving Rose to follow her.

"See?" She indicated to herself. "This is me. The dinner lady."

"I'll have the crumble!"

"_And I'll have some biscuits!"_ Allyson piped up. The Doctor looked over at her, that was by far the most words they've heard out of her yet. He smiled, so glad to see her trusting them.

"I'm so gonna kill you." Rose chimed in, returning to her station. The Doctor grinning all the while. A few tables away a teacher approaches a girl.

"Melissa. You'll be joining my class for the next period. Milo's failed me... so it's time we moved you up to the top of class." The Doctor and Allyson watch silently, Allyson continued to eat all the chips she could grab. "Kenny? Not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed." Kenny mumbled slightly, afraid he was in trouble.

"Luke - extra class. Now." The teacher turned and left, several of the children following behind him. Mr, Finch watches the proceedings from a balcony above the room, he notices the Doctor and Allyson watching him as he turns to leave. The duo sit in silence, watching the room for anything odd.

After they both finish eating they split up. Allyson returning to her computer technician duties and the Doctor returning to teaching.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor sat on top of a desk, eating a biscuit. Allyson thinking of biscuits earlier really gave him a craving. Mr, Parson paced in front of him, nearly wearing a hole into the floor. "But yesterday, I had a 12 year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy... in cubits." The teacher was concerned.

"And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?" The Doctor asked.

"Finch arrived 3 months ago. Next day, half the staff got the flu. Finch replaced them with that lot." He nodded over to a cluster of intelligent looking instructors. "Except for the teacher and computer geek you and that girl replaced, and her winning the lottery like that."

"Just her winning is weird?"

"She never played! Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight." The Doctor popped another biscuit in his mouth. " Alex though, he played every week. It's just odd two people winning within the same area."

"Hm! The world is very strange." He pretending, playing innocent. Like he hadn't given the two the tickets. Which he totally did. Just then Mr, Finch walked in, a woman in tow.

"Excuse me, colleagues - a moment of your time." He smiled. The Doctor froze, recognizing the woman. "May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist, who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times." Sarah Jane smiles at all the teachers, the Doctor still stunned, only corners of his mouth turn up in a smile. "I thought It might be useful for her to get 'a view from the trenches', so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." Mr, Finch smiles as he leaves. Sarah Jane looks around and catches the Doctor's eye and walks over to him.

"Hello!" She smiled at him.

"Oh, I should think so!" He snapped from his shock.

"And, you are...?"

"Hm? Uh, Smith. John Smith." He stuttered, unable to look away from his former companion.

"John Smith? I used to have a friend who sometimes went by the name." She recalled.

"Well, it's a very common name!"

"He was a very uncommon man." The Doctor smiled, taking it as a compliment. Sarah Jane holds out her hand. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you!" He shook her hand energetically. " Yes! Very nice! More than nice - brilliant!"

"Um.. so, um, have you worked here long?"

"No! Um, it's only my second day." He seemed to be having an 'um' attack. He just couldn't get over seeing Sarah Jane Smith again.

"Oh, you're new, then? So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum? So many children getting ill - doesn't that strike you as odd?" He grins at that.

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile."

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here."

"No. Good for you." He couldn't stop smiling as she walked away to chat with some of the other teachers. Pride swelled his heart seeing her off creating adventures on her own. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith." The bell rings, signalling the end of the class period. Children crowd the hallways as the Doctor slowly walks down it, a vague smile on his face as he remembers Sarah Jane.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Allyson was alone in a computer lab, installing some updates on the computers. She had on a pair of the Doctor's glasses, borrowing them until she obtained her own pair. She quickly typed away on the keyboard. Some were in her past she had become very skilled with electronics. Her sonic screwdriver, that sat comfortably in her breast pocket, was proof of that. She pushed the glasses back up the bridge of her nose, the frame being to big for her. She had finished the installations and was about to hack into the system. She stood up and glanced around the room, making sure she was alone. She sat down and began to fervently type. A window popped up asking for an ID and password after she clicked on an icon that was a green cube. She typed in the administrator's information only to be denied. Whatever this was they wanted to be sure that the regular staff were unable to access it. She opened the command prompt and quickly began to by-pass the security system.

Half an hour later the bell rang, Allyson quickly closed out of what she was doing before leaving as students began to file in. She walked out of the lab and into the hallway, writing down notes on a pad of paper to keep for later. Not watching where she was going to bumped into someone resulting in her being on the floor. "Oh I'm so sorry, are you all right?" A woman asked. Allyson looks up and sees an older woman with shoulder length brown hair. The lady holds out her hand to help her up. Allyson takes it and nods telling that yes she is okay. "My name's Sarah Jane Smith, what's yours?" Allyson gave her a small smile, but hid slightly behind her hair, still distrustful of strangers. The Doctor had to talk her into working here and he barely succeeded. Sarah Jane kept watching her, waiting for an answer. Allyson scrambled. She looked down, spotting her name tag and pointed at it for Sarah Jane.

"Oh," Sarah nodded, noticing how the girl seemed reluctant. "Do you not speak English?"

Allyson looked at her and shook her head. She looked around nervous, biting her lip, wishing the Doctor was here. She pointed to her lips and shook her head. Trying to tell the woman she couldn't talk. She couldn't reach out, touch her and tell her who she was and that she couldn't talk. The woman would freak out.

Sarah Jane watched silently, "So you can't talk?" Allyson nodded. "Oh, I had a cousin once who couldn't speak. She was a charming lady." Sarah Jane smiled at Allyson sensing she was uncomfortable. "It's lovely to meet you." She held out her hand towards the girl who looked unsure. "Oh it's okay, I don't bite." She smiled brightly, Allyson watched her behind her hair. She slowly reached out and gently placed her hand in Sarah Jane's, smiling slightly when the woman lightly shook her hand. "See? Now I was wondering if I may ask you a few questions?" Allyson glanced around, still hoping the Doctor or Rose would show. Not seeing a glimpse of them she looked back at Sarah Jane who smiled back at her. She nodded back at her. "Oh, thank you! Come, we'll find somewhere more quiet to talk." Sarah Jane wrapped an arm around Allyson's shoulders and led her down the hallway into the teachers lounge.

She left the door open knowing Allyson would be slightly more comfortable for her. "So how long have you worked here?" Sarah Jane said, getting down to business.

"**Two days.**" She wrote.

"Oh, so your new as well. Have you seen anything odd here?"

"**Odd?**"

"Yeah, like power surges, odd sights, or something of the like?"

Allyson hesitated, she didn't want this nice lady to get involved in the danger of this school. "**No.**"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

After the sun had fallen they return with Mickey accompanying them, entering through a fire door. "Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong." Rose said as they make their way cautiously down the corridor. "When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school." The Doctor turned and faced them, clapping his hands together.

"All right, team. Oh, I hate people who say 'team'. Um... 'gang'. Um... 'comrades'. Uh... anyway, Rose, go to the kitchen and get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Math teachers, go and check the Maths department. Allyson, see if you can finish hacking into the computers and figure out what their doing. I'm gonna look in Finch's office. Be back here in 10 minutes." He turns and runs off up the stairs leaving Rose, Allyson, and Mickey. Rose begins to fiddle with her sleeve.

"You gonna be all right?"

"Me? Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm an expert at this." Mickey said, covering up that he obviously wasn't an expert very poorly.

"No you, her." She looked at Allyson. "Are you gonna be all right?" She looked concerned.

"_I have this." _Allyson pulled out her sonic screwdriver. "_The Doctor can find me._" Mickey looked down, embarrassed. He turned and walked away only to come right back.

"Where's the Maths department?" He asked. Rose bit back a smile and pointed in the opposite direction.

"Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, on the right." He thanked her and strode off. Rose turning and walking away as well, leaving Allyson to walk down the server room.

She walked over to the server and hooked up a laptop. She sat down and put on the Doctor's glasses again and began to type away, trying to hack the system. She had gotten into a trance. Typing and typing away. Trying to crack encrypted codes when a scream startled her. She recognized it as Mickey. She quickly closed her laptop and ran off in the direction of the scream. She quickly found Mickey surrounded by vacuum packed rats. She leaned up against the wall catching her breath when the Doctor, Rose, and Sarah Jane ran in. "Sorry! Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I - I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell out of them."

The Doctor bends down and picks a few up to examine them. "On, my God, they're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats." She breathed, appalled.

"And you decided to scream." The Doctor looked disappointed at Mickey.

"It took me by surprise!" He countered.

"Like a little girl?"

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!" He cried indignantly.

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt."

"Hello," Rose cut in." can we focus? Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?"

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons. They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?" Sarah Jane stated matter-of-factly. The Doctor and Mickey exchanged a glance between them. Allyson frowned, what happened to the nice lady she knew?

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore. They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?"

"Anyway," The Doctor said quickly, intervening before a full on cat fight broke out. "moving on." Sarah Jane bit her tongue, swallowing back the cutting resort she had. "Everything started when Mr, Finch arrived. We should go and check his office." Sarah Jane walked over to Allyson, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I should have figured you were with the Doctor." She smiled. The Doctor looked over at the two women.

"Oi! Are those my glasses?!" Allyson frowned some more and hid behind Sarah Jane. He didn't exactly know that she borrowed a pair.

"_N-n-no."_ She said quietly in his mind, pulling off the frames and faying innocence.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asked, cutting in. Which Allyson was very thankful for. The Doctor turned and began down a corridor, heading towards Finch's office.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor."

"Oh! Well, he's never mentioned you." Rose said, trying to get under Sarah Jane's skin.

"Oh, I must've done! Sarah Jane! Mention her all the time." The Doctor said, trying to defend Sarah Jane. Rose pretended to concentrate.

"Hold on... sorry.. never." Allyson hid behind the Doctor, not liking the bickering going on. Sarah Jane looked over at Rose, annoyed.

"What, not even once? He didn't mention me once?" Rose walks off and Sarah Jane follows, intending to probe Rose further. Mickey walked up and put a comforting hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

"Ho ho! Mate! The missus and the ex. Welcome to every man's worst nightmare." He grinned and followed after the bickering women. The Doctor watched them all, thinking they've all gone crazy. He glanced back at Allyson.

"Well, at least I still have you." He smiled at her.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Once they had found the headmaster's office the Doctor used his screwdriver to unlock it. "Maybe those rats were food." He thought out loud.

"Food for what?" Rose gave the Doctor an odd look, who'd eat vacuum packed rats? Finally the door opens and the Doctor peers inside. Strange noises draws the Doctor's attention upwards. Allyson reaches forwards and clutches at his hand.

"Rose... you know you used to think all the teachers slept in the school... ? Well... they do." Large bat-like creatures hung from rods on the ceiling. They all stared up at them in fear, Mickey quickly turns on his heel and makes a mad dash for it.

"No way!" He screamed. Sarah Jane and Rose quickly follow him. The Doctor shut the door and ran off, still holding onto Allyson's hand.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mickey, Rose, Sarah Jane, the Doctor, and Allyson all rush out of the school. Mickey stops and hunches over on his knees, catching his breath. "I am _not_ going back in there. No way."

"Those were teachers!" Rose cried. The Doctor walked up still holding Allyson's hand.

"When Finch arrived, he brought with him 7 new teachers, 4 dinner ladies and a nurse. 13. 13 big bat people. Come on." He turns to walk back inside, dragging a scared Allyson with him.

"Come on - you've got to be kidding!" Mickey whined, he didn't want to go back in there!

"I need the TARDIS. I've got to analyze the oil from the kitchen" Sarah Jane jumped up at that.

"I might be able to help you, there. I've got something to show you!" She grab's the Doctor's arm, yanking him out of Allyson's grip, and pulls him excitedly over to her car. Opening the boot of her car, they find themselves staring a something covered with a green blanket. The Doctor reaches over and pulls off the blanket, revealing a tin dog. Delight filled the Doctor.

"K9! Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Allyson - we need a last name for you- allow me to introduce K9 - well, K9 Mark III to be precise." He smiled lovingly at the dog. Rose and Mickey glance at each other with questioning looks.

"Why does he look so... disco?" Rose nodded at the dog.

"Oi!" The Doctor looked offended. "Listen, in the year 5000, this was cutting edge! What's happened to him?" He frowned, noticing K9 wasn't active.

"Oh, one day, he just... nothing!" Sarah Jane threw her arms up in defeat.

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired?" Mickey shakes his head, Rose stares disbelieving at him, and Allyson bits her lip, trying not to laugh at him.

"Well, it's not like getting part for a mini-metro! Besides, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone!" The Doctor leaned forward and scratched K9 behind the ear.

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you? Eh?" He spoke like he was speaking to a toddler. Mickey stares at the Doctor while Rose rolls her eyes. The Doctor continues to stroke K9 and make baby noises at him. Allyson walks up to K9 and begins to examine him. Sarah Jane looks over at Rose with a triumphant look.

"Look, no offense but could you 3 just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog, we're busy!" Rose was trying to distract the Doctor from the dog, not wanting Sarah Jane to get the last laugh. The Doctor closes the boot with a grin plastered to his face. He loved that dog.

They all had filed into Sarah Jane's car, Rose, Mickey, and Allyson all squeezed in back while the Doctor sat comfortably in front. The Doctor and Sarah Jane talked of what they had done since he left her and reminisced of the past. The trio in the back sat in silence, Allyson crammed against the door and stared out the window. Rose glared at Sarah Jane and Mickey sat staring off into space, trying to wrap his mind around the whole thing. Allyson looked at Mickey, who sat in the middle, understanding how he was feeling she reached over and placed her hand on his arm. "_It'll be oka -_" Mickey jerked his arm back and looked over at Allyson shocked.

"Rose, I thought you said she doesn't talk." Rose snapped her eyes away from Sarah Jane and looked between Mickey and Allyson, who looked hurt.

"She doesn't."

"But I just heard her talk... only in my mind."

"Oh, yeah. That. It's the only way she can communicate without writing." Rose brushed off, she was used to it. She didn't particularly like it because it made her feel like her privacy could be invaded but the Doctor and told her that she could only project her thoughts, she couldn't read minds by any means. She liked Allyson, she was like a little sister she never had. And as her bigger sister it was Rose's job to protect the girl when she was scared, and soothe her when she was upset. Allyson was like a sweet little hummingbird. Small, delicate, and beautiful, but injured. Mickey just stared at Allyson, a strange look in his eye. Allyson looked down, feeling rejected and looked back out the window.

Not to long after they pulled into a little chip shop. The Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Allyson sat by the window while Rose and Mickey sat further in. Allyson worked quietly on K9, her sonic sitting next to her in case she needed it. The Doctor and Sarah Jane talked animatedly next to her. "I thought of you on Christmas Day. This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead - I thought, 'Oh, yeah. Bet he's up there.'"

"Right on top of it, yeah." He smiled at her, thinking back.

"And Rose?" Sarah Jane asked quietly.

"She was there too." Sarah Jane looked over at Allyson.

"What about you?" Allyson looked up."Where you there?" She shook her head 'no'. "When did you join the Doctor?"

"She just jumped on board recently." The Doctor answered for her. Fixing Sarah Jane's attention back on him.

"Did I do something wrong?" She frowned." Because you never came back for me. You just... dumped me."

"I told you. I was called back home and in those days humans weren't allowed."

"I waited for you. I missed you." She put her hand on the Doctor's arm.

"Oh, you didn't need me! You were getting on with your life." He brushed her off.

"You were my life." The Doctor looked up at her. " You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, and with what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles and then you just dropped me back on Earth. How could anything compare to that?" The Doctor furrowed his brows.

"All those things you saw - do you want me to apologize for that?"

"No, but we get a taste of that splendor... and then we have to go back."

"But look at you." He smiled at her." You're investigating. You found that school - you're doing what we always did."

"You could've come back." Her eyes watered slightly.

"I couldn't." He whispered.

"Why not?" she asked quietly. The Doctor looks at her for a while, wishing he was the one fixing K9 so that he could pretend to be focusing on him. "It wasn't Croydon - where you dropped me off, it wasn't Croydon!" The Doctor frowned slightly.

"Where was it?"

"Aberdeen." She said irritably. Realization dawned on the Doctor.

"_That's next to Croydon."_ Allyson stated, realizing shortly after what she said. She looked up at the Doctor,he hadn't seemed to notice.

"That's next to Croydon, isn't it?" Sarah Jane smiles and shakes her head. Suddenly K9 sprung to life making Allyson smile. "Brilliant Allyson! Oh, that girl is brilliant!" He smiled as well.

"Master!" K9 called. The Doctor laughed, ecstatic.

"He recognizes me!"

"Affirmative."

"Rose, give us the oil." The Doctor holds out his hand as Rose walks up and places the jar in his palm. He screws off the lid and sticks his finger in the jar.

"I wouldn't touch it, though, that dinner lady got all scalded." Rose said quickly trying to stop the Doctor.

"I'm no dinner lady." He made an odd face. "And I don't often say that." He turned back to K9, sticking his finger in the oil and rubs it on K9's sensor. "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go."

"Oil. Ex - ex - ex - extract ana- an- analyzing..." Mickey stepped forward, grinning.

"Listen to it, man! That's a voice!" He was just witnessing a whole lot of new things today.

"Careful! That's my dog!" Sarah Jane barked at him, Mickey looked down, sheepish.

"Confirmation of analysis - substance is Krillitane Oil." This shocked the Doctor.

"They're Krillitanes."

"Is that bad?" Rose asked.

"Very. Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad." He still looked shocked.

"And what are... Krillitanes?" Sarah Jane asked, they were new to her.

"They're a composite race. Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries - people you've invaded or have been invaded by, you've got bits - bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever - the Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well. They cherry-pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognize them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks."

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked.

"It's the children." The Doctor got a horrified look on his face. "They're doing something to the children. Allyson, did you find anything on the computer data-base?" He looked over at her, hoping she had an idea what they were doing with the children. Images flash into his mind of a file she found and her attempts at trying to hack it. "Did you try running an decryption program?" She tilted her head and gave him a pointed look.

"_No, I've tried everything besides that."_ Sarcasm dripped from her voice. He nodded.

"Right, sorry." He grabbed he coat and picked up K9 setting him on the ground. Sarah Jane looked bewildered between the two.

"Wait, what did I just miss?" Allyson bit her lip and looked at the Doctor, waiting for him to explain.

"Oh, she's telepathic. Only way she can talk." He brushed her off again and they all rushed out of the shop.

Mickey helped Sarah Jane hoist K9 into the boot of her car. "So, what's the deal with the tin dog?" Mickey asked, trying to strike up a conversation with the lady.

"The Doctor likes traveling with an entourage. Sometimes they're humans, sometimes they're aliens, and sometimes... they're tin dogs." Mickey smiles and gives a small laugh. "What about you? Where do you fit in the picture?"

"Me?" He started, enthusiastic." I'm their Man in Havana. I'm the technical support, I'm..." And then realization sets in. "Oh, my God. I'm the tin dog." He sits on the edge of Sarah Jane's car, in shock. Sarah Jane grins and gives him a comforting pat on his shoulder.

The Doctor was just leaving the chip shop, having gone back in to grab Allyson's sonic, Rose following him. "How many of us have there been, traveling with you?"

"Does it matter?" He really didn't want to get into this conversation with her.

"Yeah, it does." Her voice trembled. "If I'm just the latest in a long line." The Doctor stopped and looked at her, hurt evident on his face.

"As opposed to what?"

"I thought you and me were... " She watched him, waiting for him to understand what she was saying. "But I obviously got it wrong." She skipped on. "I've been to the year 5 billion, right, but this... now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me and Allyson?" Tears built up in her eyes.

"No." He said abruptly. "Not to you."

"But Sarah Jane... you were that close to her once, and now... you never even mention her. Why not?"

"I don't age." He began. " I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to some who you -" He stops, realizing where his sentence was leading. Rose caught it but edged him on, wanting to hear it herself.

"What, Doctor?" He stares at her, willing for her, no, hoping for her to understand.

"You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords." Rose looked at him with unshed tears.

"Time Lord." An unrecognized voice reached their ears. The Doctor and Rose look up, noticing Mr, Finch along with the other Krillitane on the roof. The Krillitane screeches and swoops down, heading straight towards them. They duck in time and it just flies away.

"Was that a Krillitane?" Sarah Jane asked as it flew off.

"But it didn't even touch us, it just flew off! What did it do that for?" Rose asked, watching the Krillitane disappear.

After the Krillitane incident, Sarah Jane drove them all to her home, allowing them to rest for the night there. Sarah Jane, Rose, and Mickey all crashed as soon as they found a place to rest. The Doctor and Allyson sat on the couch. The Doctor staring off into space, thinking about what he and Rose were talking about earlier. "_You don't have to be alone._" Allyson told him. He looked up at her seeing that she had been sitting there studying him silently.

"I'm the last of my kind, Allyson. I have no choice."

"_You have a choice."_

"What am I to do?" He sat up, getting upset. She wouldn't understand what it's like to be the last of your kind. "I can't make her live forever. Do you know how painful it would be to watch her die? Everyday I'd have to see her, and know that soon her time is approaching. Soon, she'll be dead. No one could fill her place. I. Have. No. Choice." He punctuated his last sentence, trying to get the point across.

"_Happy memories, are better than not having any at all." _

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The next morning, the school bell rings, signalling the beginning of school. Children flock towards the building, excited for school. The Doctor, Allyson, Rose, Mickey, and Sarah Jane all hop out of Sarah Jane's car and begin to walk towards the school, the Doctor stopping them half way. "Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver, ignoring Rose's outstretched hand, he gave it to Sarah Jane. Aggravating Rose. "Mickey - surveillance. I want you outside."

"Just stand outside? What about Allyson? I could get into those computers faster than you, Doctor. She probably doesn't even know what she's doing! She can't even talk!" The Doctor glared at Mickey.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare talk about Allyson like that. She's far more capable with computers than all that entire school combined." He grabbed Allyson's hand and stalked away, dragging her with. Sarah Jane tossed Mickey her car keys.

"Here, take these - you can keep K9 company." She laughed.

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." The Doctor said flatly.

"But he's metal!" Mickey tried to reason, thinking they were more concerned about the tin dog.

"I didn't mean for him." He called back, still miffed about what Mickey had said to Allyson.

"But what're you two gonna do?" Rose called out.

"Allyson's going to finish cracking into the servers and as for me... As for me, it's time I had a word with Mr, Finch." He said darkly as he entered the school.

As they walked, Allyson kept her eyes on the ground, again feeling unwanted. Maybe if she hadn't tried to comfort Mickey he wouldn't be so against her, maybe he'd just think she was some girl who couldn't talk that the Doctor dragged with him. Just Human company for Rose. The Doctor sensed her thoughts, he seemed very good at hearing them when she didn't want him too. "You're not just human company, Allyson. You're a friend of the Face of Boe's and if you a friend of his your a friend of mine. He told me to protect you and keep you with me, and I'm going to. Okay? Stop thinking you're useless and a third wheel." Allyson looked at him shocked. He knew about that? "Yes, yes I know about that! I'm the Doctor, I know a lot of things!" Allyson flinched, his anger getting the best of him. He stopped and took a deep breath, realizing he'd scared her. He gently pulled her into a hug. "You humans, always thinking you're second best and unimportant." He pulled away and looked at her. "Now then, on with the plan!" He smiled and walked off up the stairs leaving Allyson still shocked that he'd hugged her. Slowly she turned and headed towards the computer lab.

She had closed off the room and quietly began to work on hacking the system yet again when Rose and Sarah Jane came in. A bitter silence between them, they spot her and walk over, choosing the computer next to her to pry open.

Sarah Jane crouches down, using the sonic to try and get to it's insides. But she can't seem to work it right. Rose sits cross legged on a chair, watching her and Allyson. Sarah Jane comes out and hits the keyboard, trying to get it to work. "It's not working!" She complained. Rose jumped up.

"Give it to me." She took the screwdriver from Sarah Jane, rolling her eyes and crouches down beneath the desk.

"Used to work first time in my day." Sarah Jane complained.

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then." Rose turns on the sonic and it whirrs as she points it towards the computer.

"Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?" Rose looked up at the computer.

"I've got the feeling you're about to."

"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I don't want you to feel I'm intruding -"

"I don't feel threatened by you if that's what you mean."

"Right. Good. Because, I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."

"No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth..." Rose stood and walked away from the computer. Allyson glanced over at them, she had a feeling they were about to start bickering.

"The thing is... when you two met... they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for ya." Sarah Jane walked up to her, angry.

"I had no problem with space stuff. I saw things you wouldn't believe." She fumed. Rose crossed her arms and looked at her with a cold look.

"Try me." Allyson knew it, they were going to feud.

"Mummies."

"I've met ghosts."

"Robots. Lots of robots." This wasn't going to end well she thought.

"Slitheen. In Downing street."

"Daleks!" Rose snorts.

"Met the Emperor."

"Anti-Matter monsters." It just keeps getting worse.

"Gas masked zombies."

"Real living dinosaurs!"

"Real living werewolf!"

"The Loch Ness Monster!" Rose stopped and looked at her disbelievingly.

"...Seriously?" Sarah Jane puts her hands over her mouth and starts laughing, Rose smiles and joins in. Allyson gave them an odd look. Was she imagining things? She could have swore they were just fighting. "Listen to us. It's like me and my mate Shireen. The only time we fell out was over a man, and... we're arguing over the Doctor." Sarah Jane relaxes, she leaned against the desk with Rose watching her. "With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like, 90 miles-per-hour, and you'd go, 'what?' and he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on your shirt?" Sarah Jane laughed.

"All the time!" Rose joined her and Allyson smiled, she'd seen the Doctor do it to them a lot.

"Does he still stroke bits of the TARDIS?" Sarah Jane laughed.

"Yeah! Yeah! He does! I'm like 'do you two wanna be alone?'" Both women start laughing uncontrollably when the Doctor walks in.

"How's it going?" He asks, the two just point and laugh at him even harder. "What? Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." They kept laughing at him, he looked over at Allyson and saw her biting back her own laugh. "What are they laughing at?" They laughed harder at his confusion. Sarah Jane and Rose keep laughing and fall against the chairs and tables in the room. The Doctor, completely confused, looked between the two. "What? Stop it!" They kept laughing when the bell rings and students begin to try and get into the class room. Sobering up, Rose runs over to the door and directs them all to another room. The Doctor walks past Sarah Jane who is now trying to compose herself, and over to Allyson. He looks over her shoulder at the screen seeing windows open and some programs running. "Any luck?" He asked. She shook her head but kept typing regardless.

The Doctor walks up to the main computer and rips a handful of wires out of it and hangs them around his neck as he runs the sonic along the back of the box. Sarah Jane watches him anxiously. "I can't shift it."

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah Jane looked at him confused.

"Anything except a deadlock seal. There's gotta be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?" He continued working on the computer when all the monitors changed to show a cube and some codes displayed across it. Allyson was forced to stop typing as her monitor also displayed the same thing. She looked at it trying to make sense of it.

"You wanted the program - there it is." The Doctor looked up at the large screen before them.

"Some sort of code..." He kept staring at it as well, trying to figure out what code it was and what it was for. Suddenly Allyson ran forward, grabbing the Doctor's arm.

"_The Skasis Paradigm!_" The Doctor watched the screen, it all clicking into place. Allyson froze after she'd said that.

"No... no, they can't be..." Sarah Jane and Rose looked at him concerned. "The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm." Sarah Jane stepped forward.

"The Skasis what?"

"The... God-maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked.

"Yes." The Doctor paces, thinking. "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil! That oil from the kitchens, it works as a - as a... conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer." Rose swallowed hard.

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them." Rose stepped back, afraid and disgusted.

"What's 59 times 35?"

"2,065." Rose gasps as the Doctor watches her. "Oh my God..."

"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah Jane asked.

"No, it's gotta be children. The God-maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code.. they're using their souls." Mr, Finch walks into the room, a evil smile on his lips.

"Let the lesson begin." Everyone whips around to see who it was. Mr, Finch approached them slowly. "Think of it, Doctor - with the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mr, Finch. Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are."

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order. Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good."

"What?" The Doctor asked skeptically. "By someone like you?"

"No.. someone like you." The Doctor was stunned, he was not expecting that. "The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God. At my side. Imagine what you could do - think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta... your own people, Doctor. Standing tall. The Time Lords... reborn." The Doctor stands still, thinking of his people and all the lives he could save. No longer will death and destruction follow him.

"Doctor, don't listen to him." Sarah Jane saw he was thinking of accepting. Mr, Finch turned to the three girls.

"And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young... fresh... never wither, never age.. never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us." The Doctor stared into space, so tempted. So, so, soo tempted.

"I could save everyone..." He thought.

"Yes." Mr, Finch smiled, he's almost there, he thought.

"I could stop the war..." He whispered, thinking of all his people again.

"No." Sarah Jane was getting desperate. "The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss - they define us as much as happiness or love." Finch closes his eyes, she was going to ruin everything. "Whether it's a world, or a relationship... everything has its time. And everything ends." The Doctor stares off for a while longer before Sarah Jane's words took root and he made his decision. He grits his teeth and picks up a chair, hurling it at the giant screen.

"Out!" He ordered as the screen smashed. They ran out of the room and down the corridors as they heard a loud screeching resonate throughout the building. As the rush down the stairs they encounter Mickey and a little boy.

"What is going on?" Mickey asked as three Krillitanes run along the hallway towards them. The Doctor and the others turn and run in the other direction. One follows them while the others take off a different way. They run into the lunch room and try the doors on the opposite end of the room, desperate to get out. Allyson reaches in her pocket for her sonic when Mr, Finch walks in, followed by several Krillitanes. The little boy was looking back at him, a horrified expression on his face.

"Are they my teachers?" The Doctor glanced back to see where they were.

"Yeah. Sorry."

"Leave the Doctor alive. As for the others... you can feast." Mr, Finch told the beasts. The Krillitanes swoop down at them, the Doctor tries to beat them off with a chair while the others scream and hide. Allyson still frantically trying to sonic open the door, but she couldn't seem to find a good enough setting. Suddenly a red beam strikes of the Krillitanes, sending it falling to the floor. K9 comes rolling into the room, continuing to fire at Krillitanes as Mr, Finch roars with rage.

"K9!" Sarah Jane cheered.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress."

"Come on!" The Doctor dropped the chair as he and the others run. K9 still shooting at the Krillitanes. "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative, master. Maximum defense mode!" The Doctor reaches the door just as Allyson unlocks it, ushering the others through it.

"Come on!" He slams the door shut and Allyson locks it with her sonic. He starts to pull at his hair, trying to think of something to stop the Krillitanes. While brainstorming, his face lights up. He may as well have had a light bulb above his head. "It's the oil. Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil! That's it! They've changed the physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them. How much was there in the kitchens?" He asked Rose.

"Barrels of it." They all jump when a pounding sounds at the door. The Krillitanes had caught up with them.

"Okay, we need to get to the kitchen. Mickey -"

"What now, hold the coats?" He said still upset that he's the tin dog.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school. Now then, bats, bats, bats, how do we fight bats?" He pulled at his hair again, thinking. They boy walked over to the fire alarm and smashes the glass with his elbow. The alarm sounded, the Krillitanes immediately react and begin to scream at the pain. The Doctor smiles at the boy and swings open the door, rushing past the Krillitanes who were in far to much pain to pay them any mind. Mr, Finch reaches through the wall and pulls out a handful of wires, effectively stopping the alarm.

"Get after them!" He ordered, striding down the staircase with the other Krillitanes following behind him.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor, Allyson, Rose, Kenny, and Sarah Jane all run down a corridor when K9 emerges from a doorway. "Master!" He said excitedly, happy to see him okay.

"Come on, boy! Good boy." K9 truddles along behind them.

They reach the kitchens and Rose leads them back to the barrels. The Doctor holds out his sonic screwdriver to the on the barrels. "They've been deadlock sealed!" He tried another, only to find it deadlocked as well. "Finch must've done that - I can't open them." K9 rolled up beside the Doctor.

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser. But my batteries are failing." The Doctor nodded and started shoving the others outside.

"Right. Everyone out the back door. K9, stay with me." Sarah Jane, Rose, Allyson, and Kenny run to the back door, leaving the Doctor with K9. Allyson stayed close to Rose, more for comfort than fear. Suddenly the Doctor bursts out of the door and locks it with his sonic. Sarah Jane ran up to him

"Where's K9?" She cried.

"We need to run." The Doctor said, choosing to not answer her question.

"Where is he?!" Sarah Jane refused to move. "What've you done?" The Doctor quickly grabs her and pulls her away from the building. They run, just like they use to do back in the old days. They run to Allyson, Rose, and Kenny, who stand by a group of children as the school explodes. The children begin to cheer at the sight.

"Yes!" Kenny cheers, one of the girls turned to face him.

"Did you have something to do with it?" She marveled at him. He smiled back.

"Yeah, I did." The girl's mouth drops open.

"Oh my God." She started shouting to the rest of the students. "Kenny blew up the school! It was Kenny!" The children begin to cheer for their classmate, chanting his name and patting him on the shoulder. Allyson watched the children, confused as to why they would be excited about an explosion. She was sure not all the children had gotten out, this small group was about one class of many that were inside the building. She looked up at the Doctor, trying to forget her dark thoughts, to see him apologizing to Sarah Jane who looked about to cry.

"It's all right. He was just a daft metal dog. Fine, really." Tears fell down her cheeks and the Doctor simply puts his arm around her shoulder. Rose and Mickey just standing watching the school burn.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor and Sarah Jane walk through the park, talking quietly, when the TARDIS comes into view. She stares at the blue box in awe, it having been so long since she'd seen it. He smiled down at her. "Cuppa tea?" He opened the door and let Sarah Jane step in, taking in the new interior.

"You've redecorated!"

"Do you like it?" He kept on smiling, watching Sarah Jane look around.

"Oh, I, I do. Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but uh... yeah. It'll do!" Rose smiled at her.

"I love it." Sarah Jane smiled back at her.

"Hey, you - what's 47 times 369?" Rose laughed.

"No idea. It's gone now - the oil's faded."

"But you're still clever. More than a match for him." Rose smiles at the lady.

"You and me both."

"So where's Allyson?" Sarah Jane looked around for the quiet girl. The Doctor looked around too.

"Resting most likely, she still gets exhausted easily." He looked back at the monitor.

"Doctor...?" Rose looked over at him. He looked back up at her and as if suddenly remembering something his face lit up.

"Um - we're about to head off, but... you could come with us." Rose watched Sarah Jane, expecting her to accept, as she looked between Rose and the Doctor with a happy look on her face.

"No..." she shook her said softly." I can't do this anymore." Both Rose and the Doctor's smiles faded. "Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own." She smiled again, enthusiastic.

"Can I come?" Mickey spoke up from the background, everyone nearly forgetting he was there. Rose frowns, not very pleased with the prospect. "No, not with you," he indicated to Sarah Jane." I mean... with you." He gestured to the Doctor. "'Cause I'm not the tin dog. And I wanna see what's out there." Rose mouths 'no' at the Doctor, but he doesn't see it.

"Oh, go on, Doctor. Sarah Jane Smith - A Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board!"

"Okay then, I could do with a laugh." Rose rolled her eyes, not wanting Mickey with them at all. Mickey laughs that he finally gets to see what adventures Rose gets to go on. But his smile fades as he sees Rose is none to pleased.

"Rose, is that okay?"

"No, great. Why not?" Rose said sarcastically. An awkward silence filled the room.

"Well, I'd better go." Sarah Jane said uncomfortable. She walked up to Rose and pulled her aside as the Doctor continues to press random buttons on the console. Allyson walked into the TARDIS, grease on her hands and face. The Doctor walked up to her.

"Is it finished?" Allyson looked over at him and smiled. He beamed a smile back. "Brilliant." He walks over to the TARDIS door's and holds them open for Sarah Jane, following her outside for a final goodbye.

"It's daft. But I haven't ever thanked you for that time, and like I said - I wouldn't have missed it for the world." She had on a sad smile, not wanting to say goodbye to the Doctor again.

"Something to tell the grandkids."

"Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now." The Doctor looked around, suddenly awkward.

"Right. Yes, sorry - I didn't get a chance to ask. You haven't... there hasn't been anyone...? You know...?"

"Well... there was this one guy. I traveled with him for a while. But he was a tough act to follow." They both smile softly. "Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, it's not goodbye -"

"Say it, please. This time. Say it." The Doctor looked straight into her eyes.

"Goodbye. My Sarah Jane." He embraces her in a final embrace, giving one last smile before heading back into the TARDIS. Sarah Jane stood quietly as the TARDIS dematerialized, revealing K9.

"K9!" She cried, overjoyed. He rolls towards her.

"Mistress!"

"But... you were blown up!" She crouched down to pet him.

"Mistress Allyson rebuilt me. My systems are much improved with new undetectable hyperlink facilities." Sarah Jane's cheeks began to hurt from the sheer force of her smile.

"Oh! She replaced you with a brand new model!"

"Affirmative!"

..::..::..::..::.::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor walked around the console, setting the controls, as he watched Allyson walk in from the back of the TARDIS wiping off her hands with a towel. She began to wipe off her face, when she sat on the chair in the main room. The Doctor walked over and sat next to her. "I'm really proud of you. These past few days you've really relaxed and began to trust others." He watched her as she continued to wipe off her face. "Sarah Jane told me about when she met you, you know. I wouldn't have believed it if it weren't Sarah Jane."

"_You have to start somewhere."_ She smiled. The Doctor smiled back, amazed at how brave she was despite her own fears. This girl, he thought, was going to change everything.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** This seemed to take forever for me to write! I'm really happy you guys like it! I know some of you have already began to guess what Allyson is, but she's just human.. or is she? Bwuahaha. She's such a mystery. How did she know where Croydon was? Or what the Skasis Paradigm was?


	4. Chapter 4: Girl in the Fireplace

**Chapter 4: Girl in the Fireplace**

The TARDIS materializes within a spaceship, the Doctor emerges and looks around, Rose, Allyson, and Mickey following behind him. They all stare at a messy room of a spaceship. Mickey smiles widely. "It's a spaceship! Brilliant, I got a spaceship on my first go!" Rose looked around surprised.

"Looks kind of abandoned... Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here. Well! Nothing dangerous. Well! Not that dangerous." The Doctor looks around silently." You know what, I'll just have a quick scan... in case there's anything dangerous." He walked up to a screen and begins to press buttons when Allyson comes over and silently shoves him aside. He frowned down at her but she gives him an innocent smile back, quickly undoing what he was trying to to. Rose smirked over at the Doctor, finding the little scene amusing.

"So, what's the date? How far we gone?" She asked, looking at the Doctor for the answer.

"About 3000 years into your future, give or take." He pulled a switch and the lights flickered on, the roof sliding open to reveal a breathtaking view of the stars and nebulae outside.

"_March 26, 5076."_ She projected to Rose and the Doctor as she looked up to see the stars outside. The Doctor looked at her oddly.

"How do you know the date?" Allyson locked her gaze on him and simply pointed to a corner of the screen she was looking at, revealing the date. "...oh.."

"My friend's birthday is today, She's going to be 20." Rose smiled. Mickey looked back and forth between the Doctor and Rose.

"Wait, she told you guys the date? Why didn't she tell me?" Mickey felt upset at this, feeling left out. Allyson looked down, since Mickey had joined them on the TARDIS she hadn't needed to touch him in order to speak to him. She just knew that he didn't like it and he also didn't like her. Rose walked over to Allyson and put her arms around the girl.

"It's obvious that you don't like her, Mickey. She may not be able to talk but she can still understand what you say." Rose gave Mickey a hard stare.

"51st century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Mickey! Two and a half galaxies!" The Doctor smiled, trying to get off the unhappy topic. Mickey walked over to a porthole, gazing out in awe at the view. Rose walked up behind him and gripped his shoulders a little harder than she should have.

"Mickey Smith, meet the universe. See anything you like?" The Doctor walked around the room, picking up bits and pieces of the broken vessel, looking unimpressed at the technology. Allyson continued to fiddle with the controls on the monitor.

"It's so realistic!" He said, amazed.

"Dear me, had some cowboys in here! Got a ton of repair work going on." The Doctor said, absentmindedly chucking pieces of the space-ware over his shoulder.

"_Doctor..."_ Allyson called out to the Doctor, he walked over to her monitor, what was on it taking him by surprise. Rose and Mickey walk over and look over his shoulder.

"Now that's odd, look at that. All the warp engines are going... full capacity! There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe... and we're not moving. So where's all that power going?" Rose looked around, suddenly noticing something.

"Where'd all the crew go?" The Doctor reaches forward and fiddles with a few controls.

"Good question, no life readings on board."

"Well, we're in deep space; they didn't just nip out for a quick fag." The Doctor twisted a few knobs and hit a few switches.

"Nope, checked all the smoking pods." All four of them look around the abandoned ship, trying to figure it all out. The Doctor sniffs, thinking that something smelled odd. "Can you smell that?" Rose, Allyson, and Mickey all took a deep breath as well, inhaling the sent.

"Yeah, someone's cooking." Rose said.

"Sunday roast, definitely!" Mickey said, still smiling at the fact he was in the 51st century and on a spaceship. The Doctor and Allyson get back to the controls, both of them tweaking with the switches. A door opens behind them and they all walk towards it. They see that the back part of the wall was decorated with 18th century decor, the main feature was a lit fireplace.

"Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship. 18th century! French! Nice mantel." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scans it. "Not a hologram." He bends down, to examine it closer while Mickey and Rose look around the room. Allyson walked up next to the Doctor and began to examine the fireplace as well. "Not even a reproduction, this actually is an 18th century French fireplace. Double-sided, there's another room through there." Rose walked up to the porthole on the side of the ship, she looked down and swallowed roughly.

"There can't be, that's the outer hull of the ship, look." The Doctor crouched down and looked through the fireplace into the other room. Sitting in front of it was a little girl with long blonde hair, starring back at him. Allyson crouched down too, curious as to what was happening since it was technologically impossible.

"Hello!" The Doctor called to the little girl.

"Hello..." She answered, unsure and confused as to why two people were in her fireplace.

"What's your name?" The Doctor smiled encouragingly.

"Reinette."

"Reinette, that's a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" Reinette looked around, thinking it slightly obvious.

"In my bedroom."

"And where's your bedroom? Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course!"

"Paris, right!" He nodded.

"Monsieur, what are you doing in my fireplace?" She looked at him oddly still.

"Oh, it's just a routine... fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?" He raised an eyebrow, knowing what he said previously was not true. Strange how he hit that spot on.

"Of course I can! 1727!" She smiled at the Doctor.

"Right, lovely! One of my favorites... August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night night!"

"Goodnight Monsieur."He smiled at her before standing up straight, thinking. Allyson stood as well and began to look at some equipment off to the side of the fireplace.

"You said this was the 51st century." Mickey said, enthusiasm gone, thinking this was just a joke.

"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe. I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink." He said, looking thoughtfully at the fireplace.

"What's that?" Mickey asked, hoping there was an English translation to what he just said.

"No idea. Just made it up. Didn't wanna say 'magic door'." He furrowed his brows, trying to figure out why the ship was linked to the 18th century.

"And on the other side of the 'magic door' is France in 1727?" Rose asked, lowering her voice at the 'magic door' part. The Doctor nods and takes off his coat, throwing it in a corner and walks across the room.

"Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too." He said, still in thought.

"She was speaking English, I heard her!" Mickey frowned, still thinking this was all a set up. Rose came up behind him and draped her arms around his neck as the Doctor walks back towards the fireplace.

"That's the TARDIS - translates for ya." She smiled.

"Even French?!" He asked, astounded.

"Yep." The Doctor walks up to the fireplace and begins to feel along side of it, suddenly the section of wall rotates, taking the Doctor with it.

"Gotcha!" He smiled.

"Doctor!" Rose ran towards the door, only to find it to late. She sighs, seeing he's gone and turns back towards Mickey. She frowns. "Where's Allyson?" They look around the room, before something catches Rose's eyes. She laughs lightly, regardless of the fact that the Doctor disappeared. She walks up to the Doctor's coat that seems to be floating in the corner and pulls it down, revealing Allyson. Allyson looked down at the Doctors coat in Rose's hands, frowning. It smelled really good, she thought. Just then the wall spun back around, showing the Doctor and another man dressed in an 18th century get up. "Doctor!" Rose turned to face him, glad he was okay. The Doctor runs over to the wall and grabs the fire extinguisher and sprays the man, effectively freezing him.

"Excellent, ice gun!" Mickey smiled, it was almost just like in a comic book. The Doctor throws the fire extinguisher at Rose, who catches it after dropping the Doctor's coat.

"Fire extinguisher." He corrected. Rose watched the man cautiously.

"Where did that thing come from?" She asked as Allyson stepped up next to her, picking up the Doctor's coat.

"Here."

"So why is it dressed like that?" Mickey asked, failing to think of a reason.

"Field trip to France, some kind of basic camouflage protocol, nice needlework! Shame about the face." He walked up to the droid and pulls off the wig and mask to reveal the droid itself. Beautiful gears protected by a clear egg shape shell hidden beneath. Allyson walks up to it, amazed at the beauty of it, and the Doctor couldn't help but stare at it in admiration. "Oh, you are beautiful!" He was giddy with excitement. Mickey and Rose step closer curious as the Doctor whips out his glasses and put them on to examine the machine. Allyson squinting at the clockwork gears, not wanting to remind the Doctor that she had a pair of his glasses. "No really, you are, you're gorgeous! Look at that! I've got chills! Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart - and, by the way, count those - It would be an crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you." He breathed, still in awe at the beauty of the droid. Allyson held up her sonic. "But that won't stop us." He said, pulling out his own. The droid creaks back to life, snapping it's arm into place and teleports away. The Doctor and Allyson put away their sonics and the Doctor walks back to the fireplace, preparing to go back to France. "Short range teleport, can't have got far. Could still be on board -"

"What is it?" Rose asked. The Doctor pointed to the three of them.

"Don't go looking for it!" He told them seriously.

"Where're you going?"

"Back in a sec." And he disappears, returning to 18th century France. Rose looks down at the fire extinguisher in her arms, shifting it more comfortably in her hands. Mickey looks at her, realizing what she's planning.

"He said not to look for it.."

"Yeah, he did." She looked at him, serious. Mickey looked at her before quickly grabbing another fire extinguisher. Rose laughed, "Now you're getting it!" Allyson watched them, trying to decide whether to follow them or wait for the Doctor. She looked down at the Doctor's coat, making her decision.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor now stands by the fireplace in a different bedroom, filled with reds and golds. He walks away from the fireplace, looking for Reinette. "Reinette... Just checking you're okay..." He walks up to a harp and runs his fingers along the strings. A beautiful young woman walks into the room, pausing as she saw the Doctor. She clears her throat, getting his attention. "Oh! Hello!" He puts away his glasses, distracted by her appearance. "Um, I was just looking for Reinette. Uh, this is still her room, isn't it? I've been away, not sure how long."

"Reinette! We're ready to go!" A woman's voice calls out.

"Go to the carriage, mother, I will join you there." The lady called back. A grin breaks out across the Doctor's face as he realizes who the woman is. "It is customary, I think, to have an imaginary friend only during one's childhood. You are to be congratulated on your persistence." Reinette said teasingly. The Doctor continued to look at her, amazed.

"Reinette!" She smiles, glad to see he recognized her. "Well." He swallows hard and looks her up and down. "Goodness, how you've grown." She walked up to him, looking him in the eye.

"And you do not appear to have aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you."

"Right... yes... sorry." He began,unsure of how to respond. "Um.. umm.. listen, lovely to catch up, but er, better be off, eh? Don't want your mother finding you up here with a strange man, do we?"

"Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I have known you since I was seven years old."

"Yeah... I suppose you have." He gave a small laugh." I came the quick route." Reinette reached up and caressed the Doctor's cheek. His eyes widen at the touch.

"Well, you seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd. Reason tells me you cannot be real." The Doctor scoffs at that.

"Oh, pfft." He shook his head. "You never want to listen to reason."

"Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient." A servant calls from outside the room.

"A moment!" She called back, annoyed. "So many questions. So little time." She pulls the Doctor forward and kisses him passionately. They stumble backwards and crash into the mantel. The Doctor began to kiss her back, but a horrible feeling cropped up in the back of his mind. This was wrong.

"Mademoiselle Poisson!" The servant called, closer to the room. Reinette pulls away from the Doctor and runs to the door, grabbing her purse as she goes. The Doctor watches her leave, wondering why it felt so wrong. The servant walked through the door stopping dead when he sees the Doctor.

"Poisson?" He looked off, thinking of where the name was familiar. "Reinette Poisson?" The servant looked at the Doctor amused. "No..." He ruffled his hair. "No, no, no, no, no, no way, Reinette Poisson?!" He runs up the the servant, like was interrogating him, but refused to let him speak. "Later Madame Etoiles? Later still mistress of Louis the 15th, uncrowned Queen of France?" He runs back to the fireplace, excited. "Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan? Fantastic gardener!" He laughed.

"Who the hell are you?!" The servant finally asks. The Doctor finds the trigger on the fireplace.

"I'm the Doctor. And I just snogged Madame do Pompadour!" He said all giddy as he pulled the trigger, appearing once again in the spaceship. He looks around, "Rose? Allyson? Mickey?" He walks around, irritated. "Every time, every time, it's rule one - don't wander off! I tell them, I do, rule one! There could be anything on this ship!" He turns and begins to walk down a corridor, only to run into a white horse. The Doctor blinks while the horse snorts at him. The Doctor looked around confused as to where the horse came from.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mickey looks furtively down a hallway holding a fire extinguisher like a weapon. He does an Indian Jones-style drop-and-roll. He stalks down the corridors secretively until he sees a surveillance camera. It moves towards him and blinks. "Are you looking at me?" The camera gets further into his face, causing Mickey to step back. Rose and Allyson, who is now wearing the Doctor's coat, walk up behind him. "Look at this." He pointed to the camera. "That's an eye in there. That's a real eye." The camera retreats back into the wall, Allyson watching it suspiciously. A heartbeat sounds out, drawing their attention to the wall. Rose bends down and tries to open a cover, pulling back as it scalded her hand. She tries again, only being quicker. It opens to reveal a human heart connected to wires and pipes, still beating. "What is that? What's that in the middle there? It's like it's wired in." Allyson swallows a lump that had formed in her throat.

"That's a heart, Mickey... that's a human heart."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor wonders through the ship, looking like a lost child. "Rose?" He called, childlike. The horse following him faithfully. The Doctor looks down a corridor, still trying to find Rose, Allyson, and Mickey. He turns on his heel to face the horse. "Will you stop following me? I'm not your mother!" He said irritably. The horse put his nose in the Doctor's face, he moves away, spotting a set of double doors. He walks over, the horse still following him, and opens the doors. "So this is where you came from, eh, horsey?"

The Doctor walks out onto the grassy courtyard, once again in Versailles. He spots Reinette walking with a friend a bit away. He smiles seeing her again and walks over to a low wall, crouching behind a pillar. The two ladies laugh, walking arm in arm. The Doctor watches them from a distance. "Oh, Catherine, you are too wicked!" Reinette turns, as though she spotted something but finds nothing as the Doctor ducks behind the pillar.

"Oh, speaking of wicked, I hear Madame de Chateneux is ill and close to death." Her friend Catherine spoke up. Reinette faced her friend again and the Doctor stood up.

"Yes." She said seriously. "I am devastated." She laughed.

"Oh, indeed. I myself am frequently inconsolable." Catherine laughed as well. The Doctor smiles. "The King will therefore be requiring a new mistress. You love the Kind, of course?"

"He is the King. And I love him with all my heart. And I look forward to meeting him." Catherine laughs, Reinette turned back, convinced she'd seen something. The Doctor ducked behind the pillar again.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" Catherine looked concerned at Reinette.

"Not wrong, no." The Doctor straightens up after Reinette looked away. After a while the ladies begin to walk away, the Doctor still watching them.

"Every woman in Paris knows your ambitions."

"Every woman in Paris shares them."

"You know of course that the King is to attend the Yew Tree ball?" Their voices being to fade in the distance.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mickey, Rose, and Allyson walked down a corridor, Mickey and Rose holding their guns. The camera's watching them. "Maybe it wasn't a real heart." Mickey tried to brush it off, disturbed by the prospect of it being real.

"Course it was a real heart." Rose said. Mickey looked around.

"Is this like normal for you? Is this an average day?"

"Life with the Doctor, Mickey - more average days." They stop by a large set of windows that hold a view of an 18th century room.

"It's France again. We can see France."

"I think we're looking through a mirror." The door's open and the King walks in followed by two servants.

"Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?"

"King of France." The Doctor said, appearing behind them.

"Oh, here's trouble." Rose looked back a the Doctor. "What you been up to?" He bobs his head to the side.

"Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat... picked a fight with a clockwork man.." A horse walks out of the corridor, coming in to view. Allyson raised an eyebrow at the Doctor.

"_A horse?_"

"Annd, I met a horse." The horse just snorted. Mickey looked confused.

"What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" Mickey asked.

"Mickey, what's pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective." The Doctor looked back through the window, he pointed to it. "See these? They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history..." He points to Reinette as she enters the room. "Hers. Time window... deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the 51st century stalking a woman from the 18th. _Why?_"

"Who is she?" Rose looked at the Doctor again.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, knowing to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived."

"So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?"

"No, he's already got a Queen. She's got plans of being his mistress."

"On, I get it." She looked over at Mickey, a smile on her face. "Camilla." They both laugh. They watch the King walk back out of the room.

"I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball. In no time flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace... even her own title. Madame de Pompadour." Reinette walks up the mirror and begins to prep herself.

"Queen must have loved her.."

"Oh, she did. They get on very well."

"The King's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Mickey gave the Doctor an odd, disbelieving look.

"France. It's a different planet." Ticking sounds throughout the room, the Doctor notices the clock on the mantel was shattered. Reinette, hearing the sound as well, turns to face the robot, her eyes full of fear.

"How long have you been standing there?" She demanded at the figured facing the wall. "Show yourself!" She ordered. The figure turns revealing it to be one of the clockwork droids and starts to advance towards Reinette. The Doctor reacts quickly, grabbing the fire extinguisher from Mickey he swings open the mirror and steps into 18th century France.

"Hello, Reinette. Hasn't time flown?" He smiled at her.

"Fireplace man!" She gasped. The Doctor steps forward and blasts the droid with the extinguisher until the robot freezes. He tosses the extinguisher back to Mickey as the droid starts to click and whirl, turning back on.

"What's it doing?" Mickey asked.

"Switching back on. Melting the ice."

"And then what?" A hysterical tone hitting Mickey's voice.

"Then it kills everyone in the room." Just then the clockwork droid's arm shoots out, aiming for the Doctor's throat. He jumps back towards Reinette. "Focuses the mind, doesn't it?" He turned his attention back to the robot. "Who are you? Identify yourself." The droid tilts its head, but does not respond. "Reinette, order it to answer me." She looked at him, shocked.

"Why should it listen to me?"

"I don't know. It did when you were a child. Let's see if you've still got it." Reinette swallowed and stepped forward.

"Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you." She told it with a commanding voice.

"I am repair droid 7" It's automated voice responded.

"So what happened to the ship, then? There was a lot of damage."

"Ion storm, 82 percent systems failure."

"That ship hasn't moved in over a year. What's taken you so long?"

"We did not have the parts." Mickey laughed at that.

"Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts."

"What's happened to the crew, where are they?" The Doctor ignored Mickey.

"We did not have the parts." It repeated.

"There should have been over 50 people on your ship." The Doctor persisted, "Where did they go?"

"We did not have the parts." Realization struck Allyson and she hunched over, nearly gagging at the thought.

"50 people don't just disappear! Where -?" He looks over noticing Allyson gagging, finally it dawns on him. "Oh. You didn't have the parts, so you used the crew."

"The crew?" Mickey didn't believe it, you can't use human parts for machinery.

"We found a camera with an eye in it... and there was a heart... wired in to machinery." Rose said, disgust in her voice thinking of it.

"It was just doing what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship anyway it can, with whatever it could find. No-one told it the crew weren't on the menu. What did you say the flight deck smelt of?" The Doctor said quietly.

"Someone cooking..." Rose whispered.

"Flesh plus heat. Barbeque." He said, sick to his stomach. Reinette also looked slightly sick and Allyson tried her best not to hurl. "But what are you doing here? You've opened up time windows, that takes colossal energy. Why come here, you could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to 18th century France? Why?"

"One more part is required." It's head jerks to look at Reinette. All of them stare at her as well. The Doctor looked back at the droid, bewildered.

"Then why haven't you taken it?"

"She is incomplete."

"What... so, that's the plan then? Just keep opening more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she's 'done yet'?"

"Why her?" Rose asked, the Doctor looked at her surprised. "You've got all of history to choose from, why specifically her?" The Doctor looked back at the droid, Rose had a good point.

"We are the same." It answered.

"We are not the same, we are in no sense the same!" Reinette screamed, scared.

"We are the same." It repeated. Reinette advanced, angry and scared.

"Get out of here!" She screamed,"Get out of here this instance!"

"Reinette, no!" The Doctor yelled, trying to stop her but it was too late. The droid activated its teleport and disappeared. "It's back on the ship. Rose, take Mickey, Allyson, and Arthur, get after it. Follow it, don't approach it, just watch what it does." He told them.

"Arthur?" Rose asked, confused.

"Good name for a horse." He smiled. Rose's shoulders slumped.

"No, you're not keeping the horse!" She said, exasperated.

"I let you keep Mickey!" He pouted. " Now go, go, go!" Mickey, Rose, and Allyson all run back through the mirror. The Doctor closing it behind him. Allyson looks through the mirror and sees the Doctor putting his hands on Reinette's face. She watches them silently.

"Fireplace man... you are inside my mind." Reinette gasped.

"Oh dear, Reinette. You've had some cowboys in here." The Doctor said, Allyson was unable to see his face.

"You are in my memories. You walk among them."

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won't look. Ooh.. actually... there's a door just there." Reinette watches him and smiles slyly. "You might want to clo - ooh. Actually, several."

"To walk among the memories of another living soul.. do you ever get used to this?"

"I don't make a habit of it." Allyson watched them for a while, listening and curious. She listened for anything important, when Reinette flinched. "Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect."

"Oh, such a lonely childhood.." She sounded sad.

"It'll pass. Stay with me."

"Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone."

"What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life-" His eyes snapped open, realizing what she said. "When did you start calling me 'Doctor'?"

"Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then and lonelier now." She opened her eyes, looking back into the Doctor's. "How can you bear it?" Her eyes watered up. The Doctor stepped away from her, scared about what she had seen.

"How did you do that?"

"A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction." The Doctor stared at her, vulnerable. "Oh, Doctor." She whispered softly, stepping towards him. "My lonely Doctor. Dance with me."

"I can't" he warned her.

"Dance with me." She insisted.

"This is the night you dance with the King." Ticking sounded behind Allyson. She ducked down just as an arm swung around, attempting to grab her. She grabbed a pipe that was laying close by and swung up at its head. The pipe hit with a resounding 'thud' and the ticking stopped. The droid fell to the ground, inactive. Her grip on the pipe tightened, she looked around seeing if another was close by but found none. She turned and headed the way Rose and Mickey went, trying to find them and hoping that the droids hadn't gotten them.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose's eyes flutter open and take in her surroundings. She realizes that she's strapped down and looks around at the droids that stand around her and Mickey. "What's going on?" She demanded. "Doctor?" She called out, "Allyson?" Not seeing either of them there. Mickey looked over at her, fear written on his face.

"Rose? They're gonna chop us up. Just like the crew - they're gonna chop us up and stick us all over their stupid spaceship. And where's the Doctor? Where's the precious Doctor now? He's been gone for flipping hours, that's where he is!" A droid stepped before Rose.

"You are compatible." Rose panicked.

"Well... you... you might wanna think about that. You really, really might because... me and Mickey... we didn't come here alone, oh no! And trust me - you wouldn't wanna mess with our designated driver." She sputtered, trying to stall for time. A sharp instrument springs from the droids arm, Rose stares at it apprehensively. "Ever heard of the Daleks? Remember them? They had a name for our friend. They had myths about him, and a name. They called him the... "

In the distance, singing could be heard.

"I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night..." The Doctor could be heard singing, rather drunkenly.

"They called him the - they called him the - the -" She kept watching the area that the Doctor was singing from, a bit distracted. Soon the Doctor staggers in, dancing around with an imaginary partner. Dressed in a pair of sunglasses and a striped tie around his head, he swung around with a glass of wine.

"And still have begged for mooore... I could've spread my wings and done a thou - have you met the French?" He asked them, suddenly stopping with the singing. Mickey looked bemused at the Doctor. "My... GOD, they know how to party." He smiled.

"Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm." Rose said sarcastically. The Doctor gave her a distasteful look.

"Oh, you sound just like your mother." He complained.

"What've you been doing? Where've you been?!" She yelled crossed.

"Well... among other things, I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early." Rose leans back on the metal bed, not believing the Doctor. "Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before!" He leaned over Rose. "Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are GOOD." He said very seriously. He looks over at the droids, acting like he'd just noticed them. A delighted smile on his face. "Oh ho ho ho ho, brilliant. It's you! you're my favorite, you are, you are the best! Do you know why? 'Cause you're so THICK. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania." He paused, "And so's your dad!" He strolls away, satisfied. "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" He sniggers. "Her milometer. They wanna know how old she is. Know why? 'Cause this ship is 37 years old. And they think that when Reinette is 37, when she's 'complete', then her brain will be compatible. So, that's what you're missing, isn't it?" He stares the droids in the face. "Hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason - God knows what - only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do."

"The brain is compatible." The droid answered.

"Compatible?" He walks up to it. "If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine." He sobers up and removes the mask on the robot and quickly pours the 'wine' on top of its head. He replaces the mask and pets it on the head. The droid powers down and Rose sighs in relief. "Multi-grain anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn't." A droid from the corner of the room begins to walk forward, but the Doctor quickly deactivates it by using a near by lever. "Right, you two, that's enough lying about..." He looked around. "Where's Allyson?" He quickly dropped his laid back persona.

"I don't know," Rose said, as the Doctor released Mickey and Rose from their bindings with his sonic. "She wasn't here when we woke up." He looked around, frantically, hoping that she was just huddled in a corner but he couldn't see her.

"Time we got the rest of the ship turned off." He said, hoping that after he'd done so they could focus on finding Allyson.

"Are those things safe?" Mickey asked, pointing over at the droids. The Doctor took of the sunglasses and lowered the tie around his head.

"Yep. Safe. Safe and thick. Way I like them. Okay, all the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down." He runs around the controls, he pats his pockets, feeling for something. "Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs?" He looks around, thinking they may have fallen out. "I had them a minute ago, I was using them as castanets."

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was 37?" Rose asked, changing the subject.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they were lucky to hit the right century. Trial and error after that." He pressed some switches, trying to operate the computer. "The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?" He pressed the switches again but nothing happens except for a pinging sound.

"What's that?"

"I don't know..." He spoke over the pinging. "Incoming message?"

"From who?" Mickey asked.

"Report from the field... one of them must still be out there with Reinette! That's why I can't close the windows, there's an override!" Behind him the droid that he dumped the anti-oil on whirled to life. It expelled the oil onto the Doctor's shoe. "Well, that was a bit clever." The rest of the group spring to life as well, filling the room with ticking. "Right... many things about this are not good." The ping sounds again. "Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?"

"She is complete. It begins." All of the droids activate their teleports and disappear.

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"One of them must've found the right time window, and now it's time to send in the troops. And this time they're bringing back her head."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Madame de Pompadour stands by the window, looking up at the sky. A shadow appears within the light that was spilling into her room as someone approaches. Reinette turned, hearing the sound of footsteps. She glances at the clock face on the mantel.

"Madame de Pompadour -" Reinette gasps, turning to face Rose. "Please, don't scream or anything, we haven't got a lot of time."

Reinette stands while Rose sits. "I've come to warn you that they'll be here in five years."

"Five years?"

"Some time after your 37th birthday. I um.. I can't give you an exact date. It's a bit random. But they're coming. It's gonna happen. In a way, for us, it's already happening. I'm sorry, it's hard to explain. The Doctor does this better."

"Then be exact, and I will be attentive. The girl from before, she said she couldn't say a precise time either." Rose furrow her bows.

"The girl from before?"

"Yes, there was a girl from before. She couldn't talk but she still spoke to me." Allyson. Rose thought. So she was still alive, good.

"Oh, well, there isn't time." Rose shook her head apologetically. "What did the girl say?"

"That they will be here in five years. She's woman of few words, and a horse." Reinette sits across from Rose, bewilderment apparent on her face.

"Erm... okay, lemme explain it then. A vessel. A ship. A sort of sky ship. And it's full of... well, you. Different bits of your life in different rooms, all jumbled up. I told you it was complicated, sorry." She apologized after she saw that Reinette was very confused.

"There is a vessel in your world.. where the days of my life are pressed together like the chapters of a book so that he may step from one to the other without increase of age... while I, weary traveler... must always take the slower path?" Rose bit her lip in a smile.

"He was right about you.."

"So, in five years these creatures will return. What can be done?"

"The Doctor says keep them talking. They're kind of programmed to respond to you now. You won't be able to stop them, but you might be able to delay them a bit."

"Until?" She prompted.

"Until the Doctor can get there."

"He's coming, then?"

"He promises." Rose nodded.

"But he cannot... make his promises in person?"

"He'll be there when you need him. That's the way it's gotta be." Rose said in an apologetic tone.

"It's the way it's always been. The monsters and the Doctor. It seems you cannot have one without the other." Rose laughed at that.

"Tell me about it... the thing is... you weren't supposed to have either. Those creatures are messing with history. None of this was ever supposed to happen to you." This made Reinette angry.

"Supposed to happen? What does that mean? It happened, child. And I would not have it any other way. One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel." She stands with her back towards Rose, fuming.

"Rose? Rose?" Mickey called out for her before walking out from behind the tapestry hanging just outside the room. "Rose!" She runs over to meet him. "The time window when she's 37. We found it. Right under out noses." He stops when he sees Reinette. She looks behind the tapestry and darts through it.

"No, you can't go in there, the Doctor will go mad-" But she was already through the time window. She gaped at the surroundings, lost, confused, and slightly scared. Rose and Mickey stand silently back watching her.

"So, this is his world." Screaming sounded in the distance. "What was that?"

"The time window, the Doctor fixed an audio link." Mickey said, looking to Rose.

"Those screams.." Her voice wavering with fear. "Is that my future?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry." Rose apologized yet again, feeling for Madame de Pompadour.

"Then I must take the slower path." Reinette's voice sounds from the distance.

_"Are you there? Can you hear me? I need you now, you promised. The clock on the mantel is broken. It is time._" Reinette looked disturbed.

"That's my voice." She said horrified.

"Rose, come on - we've gotta go. There's - there's a problem." Mickey said, lightly touching her arm.

"Give me a moment." She brushed him off. He runs off but Rose stays and walks up to Reinette, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"No. I'm very afraid. But you and I both know, don't we, Rose? The Doctor is worth the monsters." Rose nods and Reinette walks back through the tapestry, returning to her own time.

"_Doctor! Doctor!"_ After a moment of thought, Rose heads off back towards the Doctor.

She finds the Doctor working frantically with the controls as she joins him and Mickey by the window. "You found it, then?"

"They knew I was coming. They blocked it off." He focused on the switches. Rose watched the on-goings in the ballroom through the window.

"I don't get it. How come they got in there?"

"They teleported - you saw them. As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleports will do the trick."

"Well, we'll go in the TARDIS!" She tried to smile.

"We can't use the TARDIS, we're part of events now."

"Well, can't we just smash through it?" Mickey spoke from behind them.

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other. We need a truck." He pulled at his hair.

"We don't have a truck." Mickey stated.

"I know we don't have a truck!" He shouted, getting frustrated. He couldn't save anyone.

"Well, we've gotta try something!" Rose cried.

"No, smash the glass, smash the time window, they'd be no way back."

"Can everyone just calm down? Please." They hear Madame de Pompadour order in the ballroom. They look on, watching the events unfold. The Doctor begins to pace, frantic and frustrated. The only way he saw this working out was if someone broke through the glass. But if they did that they'd be trapped on the other side. He couldn't let Rose, Mickey, or Allyson be trapped there.

He walked back and forth pulling at his hair thinking. He had to do it, he thought. "I have to do it." He looked between Rose and Mickey. "I have to break through the glass."

"But you'll be trapped there!" Rose cried. He stood right in front of her and looked her dead in the eyes.

"I can always find a way out. But right now she needs me." They hear hooves clicking against the metal grates. They look back and see Allyson leading Arthur. A small smile on Allyson's face.

"_Someone call for a ride?"_ Rose and the Doctor rush over and enclose her in a tight group hug, relieved to see her well.

"Oh my God!" Rose cried, "You're okay!" Allyson smiled and looked over at the Doctor.

"_I warned Madame de Pompadour._" The Doctor nodded. The four of them turning around and looking through the mirror.

"I have to get down there." The Doctor said, grabbing Arthur's reigns. He and Allyson lead him back to get a running start. Mickey and Rose standing by the mirror. "Allyson, when I smash through that glass, that's it. I won't be able to come back through. The time windows will close." They turned the horse around once they reached a good distance. They stood to the side, the Doctor adjusting Arthur's saddle. "You have to promise me that you can get them back. You're brilliant. You can figure it out, and besides the TARDIS can pilot you three back to your time." She reached up and grabbed the Doctor's face and made him look at her.

"_I will get you back. For you and Rose._." The Doctor could feel her fear, but she was so confident in the Doctor and her technical skills that it was over shadowed. He smiled at her, knowing that it wouldn't work but was touched at her determination.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The sound of a horse neighing in the distance is heard. Reinette, the droids, and the guests all look around looking for the sound. After a few seconds a horse leaps through a large mirror on the wall, the Doctor on his back. The guests scream and Reinette gasps, he winks as the horse runs past her, coming to a halt and the Doctor jumps off. "Madame de Pompadour. You look younger every day." She smiles, when a man comes barging forward.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Oh, Doctor. This is my lover, the King of France."

"Yeah?" He looked unimpressed. "Well, I'm the Lord of Time. And I'm here to fix the clock." He removes the mask to one of the droids, showing the room what it really was. Gasps are heard around the room from the crowd. The droid points a weapon at the Doctor, but he doesn't flinch. "Forget it. It's over. For you and for me." He looked back up at the broken mirror, a sad look in his eye, as a brick wall is behind it. "Talk about seven years bad luck. Try 3000..."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Only shards of glass remain from the Doctor's epic entrance. Rose stands before the broken time window, a single tear runs down her cheek. "What happened? Where did the time window go? How's he gonna get back?" Mickey asked, not getting what the Doctor had said earlier. Allyson slowly walked up to the window, a solemn look in her eye. The three stand in silence, absorbing the fact that the Doctor is gone.

An hour goes by and the three still stand there. Rose hadn't moved one bit, tears running silently down her cheeks. "We can't fly the TARDIS without him. How's he gonna get back?" Rose looked above her, at the stars, still thinking of the man who changed her life. Anger flared within Allyson.

"_He's not coming back. You'd know this if you listened every now and then._" She bit her lip, fighting back her own tears. Anger wasn't going to help anyone. She walked up to Rose and wrapped her arms around her. "_Wait for him in the TARDIS._" But Rose refused to budge. Allyson rubbed her back before turning and walking away. She walked up to the controls in the room with the TARDIS and checked to be sure everything had shut down. She looked around, brainstorming, trying to find a way to get the Doctor back. Starting up the warp engines and punching a hole into the 18th century again was out of the question. None of them knew how to pilot the TARDIS, all she could do was run herself on an emergency program.

She fell to her knees with her face in her hands as silent tears ran down her cheeks. He was gone, he wasn't going to come back. She shakily stood up and walked over to the TARDIS, she pushed on the door but quickly realized it was locked. Oh yeah, the Doctor gave Rose the key. She pressed her forehead against the blue door. They were stuck here, March 26, 5076, on a spaceship that they didn't even know the name to. They could call for help but it was unlikely anyone was near by, regardless only the Doctor and Allyson could figure out how to use them, but he was gone and she couldn't talk. She was still their best and only hope.

She walked around the ship, trying to find the command room so she could see what she had to work with when she unknowingly walked back into the room with the fireplace. The fire was out, making the room look cold.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor stands, looking out a window at the stars with a glass of wine in hand. Reinette approaches, also holding a glass of wine, she looks up at the stars as well. "You know all their names, don't you? I saw that in your mind. The name of every star."

"What's in a name? Names are just titles. Titles don't tell you anything."

"Like, 'The Doctor'." She quirked an eyebrow.

"Like, 'Madame de Pompadour'." She laughs.

"I have often wished to see those stars a little closer. Just as you have, I think."

"From time to time."

"In saving me, you trapped yourself. Did you know that would happen?" He bobs his head.

"Mm, pretty much."

"Yet, still you came." She smiled at him.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" His face broke out in a smile. "Catch me doing that again."

"There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of the others?"

"When the mirror broke, the shock will have severed all the links with the ship. There'll be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here, I'm afraid. Wherever there was a time window. I'll - I'll, eh... pay for any damages." Reinette laughed at him. "Uh oh, that's a thought, I'm gonna need money. I was always bit vague about money. Where do you get money?" He prattled on curiously.

"So, here you are. My lonely angel. Stuck on the slow path, with me."

"Yep. The slow path. "He grins and holds up his glass. "Here's to the slow path." They clink their glasses together and take a sip. Something in the corner of the Doctor's eye draws his attention, he nearly spit his wine back out. Standing in the doorway was Allyson, a stunned look on her face. Reinette turned around and saw her, a pit forming in her stomach. Her Lonely Angel was going to leave her, she knew it. The Doctor let his wine glass fall as he ran forward, grabbing the girl in a big hug. He spun her around in a circle, amazed to see her. "Allyson!" He cheered. "How on Earth did you do it!" He refused to let go of her, enjoying the feeling he was getting from holding her.

"_I told you I'd get you back._" She laughed, lightly. It was a lot smoother now. Reinette watched the two, a sad smile on her face as she set her wine glass down. She walked up to Allyson.

"Did you come through the fireplace?" She had a sorrowful tone in her voice. Allyson stepped back from the Doctor, but he refused to let go of her, so he grabbed her hands. She nodded to her, yes she had fixed the fireplace. The Doctor looked at her slightly confused.

"You mean the fireplace that I first came through?" Reinette nodded. "You still have it?" She nodded again and gestured for them to follow her.

"Many years ago. In the hope that a door once opened, may someday be opened again. One never quite knows when one needs one's Doctor." She gives him a small smile as they entered her room, the fireplace lit.

"You must've broke the bond with the ship when you moved it. That must've been what saved it and allowed Allyson here to re-activate it. So to speak." He ran over to the mantel, dragging Allyson behind him. He lets her go as he feels for the switch. He smiles when he hits it, wrapping an arm around Allyson's small waist. "Wish us luck!" He laughed as he pulled up and the wall began to rotate.

"No..!" Reinette reached for him, not wanting him to go. The smile fell from the Doctor's face. Once the wall had revolved the Doctor ducked down to look through the fireplace.

"Madame de Pompadour!" She crouches down to look through the flames. "Still wanna see those stars?"

"More than anything." She smiled.

"Give me two minutes. Pack a bag!" He laughed.

"Am I going somewhere?" She was officially confused.

"Go to the window. Pick a star. Any star." He told her as he grabbed Allyson's hand and dashed back to the TARDIS. Rose rushed up to the Doctor and embraces him in a tight hug, one that he gladly returns. "How long did you wait?"

"Five and a half hours!" She smiled, giddy with relief. He pulled back and grinned.

"Right, always wait five and a half hours." He moves towards Mickey to shake his hand while Allyson just stands there. Thinking back to the fireplace.

"Where've you been?" She asked, still relieved to see him.

"Explain later. Into the TARDIS, be with you in a sec." He rushed back to the fireplace and starts calling for Reinette. Allyson and Rose stand by the TARDIS watching him silently. Mickey entered the TARDIS without a second thought, happy to be able to go home. Allyson puts a reassuring arm around Rose and guides her back inside, she felt bad for her. Rose loved the Doctor with all her heart, but it seemed all the girls he meets end up falling for him. What girl could resist a man like him? Even Allyson felt a pang of jealousy seeing him call for Reinette like that.

A while later the Doctor entered the TARDIS, Rose, Allyson, and Mickey all sitting in the control room waiting for him. "Why her?" Rose stood to face him. "Why did they think they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?" He walks up to the computer and begins to tap on the controls.

"We'll probably never know. There was massive damage in the computer memory base. Probably got confused. The TARDIS can close down the time windows now the droids are gone. Should stop it causing any more trouble." He continued turning knobs and flipping switches, obviously trying his hardest to not be upset. They all could see it.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked after a moment of watching him. He looked up at her, startled that someone seemed to notice.

"I'm always all right." He smiles, trying to prove his statement, but they could tell it was forced. He returned to fiddling with the controls. Mickey reached forward and touched Rose's arm.

"Come on, Rose. It's time you showed me around the rest of this place." Rose hesitates before leaving, glancing over her shoulder at him, still concerned. Allyson stands watching him as he piddles with the controls, he looks up at her. His eyes begging for her to leave him alone. That's all he wanted. She nodded.

"_I need to redecorate anyhow."_ She excused herself. She walked back a bit into the TARDIS before coming to her door. She looked back at the console seeing the Doctor watching her as she opened her door and stepped in. The TARDIS had already read her mind and changed her room for her. She smiled. Her room was all simulated windows that showed the stars and galaxies as they flew by them. The floor was a deep maroon carpet that dipped down in the middle creating a pit for her large bed to rest in. Pillows and blankets were neatly set up covered in black and red sheets. She felt at home here. She felt she belonged here.

_**Here among the stars.**_

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** And now she's in love with astronomy, I know it wasn't really touched on here but it will. Ooooh it will... I see some Doctor/Allyson bonding time happening. Right so, it's a good thing I have a tendency to keep my windows open otherwise you'd all have to wait another day to get this. Lol. Tomorrow I am replacing this laptop. It's brand-new and I've had nothing but issues with it so I probably won't get much writing done. *sigh*. I sucks I know. Awful. But now I have to completely re-personalize it!.. Oh wait, I love doing that =D

Anywhoo, thanks again for the reviews! I love reading them, they keep me excited! Don't be afraid to leave one or pm me! I'll more than likely answer. =]

Tatty-bye, loves!


	5. Chapter 5: Rise of the Cybermen

**Chapter 5: Rise of the Cybermen**

The Doctor, Rose, Allyson, and Mickey are all talking in the TARDIS. The Doctor and Rose laugh together while they sit in the chairs. Allyson was sitting by their feet tinkering with the Doctor's screwdriver, some how he got a piece of banana lodged in it. She hasn't a slightest idea how he managed to do it, but it was the Doctor. There was no such thing as impossible with him. Mickey was standing by the console just watching them. "And that weird munchkin lady with the big eyes? Do you remember? - the way she looked at you! And then she opens her mouth and fire comes out!" He recalled dramatically. Rose laughed with him.

"I thought I was gonna get frazzled!"

"Yeah! One minute she's standing there, and the next minute - 'rawwwh!'" They mimic fire coming from their mouths, nearly falling from the chair from laughter. Mickey nods smiling, trying to follow.

"Yeah... where - where was that, then? What happened?" He asked, the Doctor still laughing tried to explain it.

"Oh, it was on this um... uh, this uh... planet thing, asteroid. It's a long story, you had to be there. Um..." He looked at Mickey, noticing he was pressing a button. "What're you doing that for?" Mickey looked at his finger.

"'Cos you told me to..." The Doctor quickly sobered up.

"When was that?"

"About half an hour ago.."

"Um," the Doctor blinked. "You can let go now." Mickey snapped his hand back from the button.

"Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?" He glared at the Doctor while Rose just sniggers.

"Ten minutes? Twenty?... Twenty-nine?" The Doctor's voice kept getting smaller, causing Allyson to laugh.

"You just forgot me!" Mickey frowned.

"No, no, no! I was just-" he furrowed his brows, trying to think of an excuse, "I was just.. I was calibrating. I was just... no, I know exactly what I'm doing." He shrugs Mickey off. Suddenly an explosion erupts from the TARDIS console. It starts shaking violently and tossing them about as sparks and flames fly everywhere. Everyone falls to the floor, trying to grab something to hold on to as the Doctor scrambles over to the console. He flipped switches and turned knobs, trying to get the TARDIS under control.

"What's happened?!" Rose screamed above the noise.

"The time vortex is gone! That's impossible - it's just gone!" The Doctor frowned, not understanding what was going on. "Brace yourself! We're gonna crash!" He ducked down putting his arms around Rose and Allyson, protecting them both. The TARDIS crashed and sent everything flying. Gas masks fall from the ceiling and all the lights go out. Once everything settle the Doctor jumps up helping Rose and Allyson to their feet. "Everyone all right? Rose - Allyson - Mickey?" He looked over the two girls checking them over.

"I'm fine. I'm okay, sorry." Mickey called from the other side of the TARDIS console. They all look around at the messy TARDIS. The Doctor looks up at the rotor and the console. Allyson walked around checking for anything hazardous.

"She's dead." He said, a very somber tone to his voice. The fact that the last TARDIS was dead not quite sinking in. A clicking sounds from the engines and smoke filters up from the console. "The TARDIS is dead." He whispered, still shocked. He walked around the console.

"You can fix it, yeah?" Rose asked hopeful.

"There's nothing to fix. She's perished." He fiddles with a lever, hoping for a reaction but nothing happens. "The last TARDIS in the universe..extinct."

"We can get help, yeah?" She still had hope that they weren't completely stranded.

"Where from?"

"Well, we've landed - we've gotta be somewhere." She looked at the Doctor.

"We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no-place.. the silent realm.. the lost dimension.."

"Otherwise known as London!" Mickey called over from the door, grinning. Allyson runs over to the door as Mickey laughs and walks out. Rose and the Doctor follow them out and into London. "London, England, Earth. Hold on.." He jumps off a low wall and picks up a paper. " 1st of February this year - not exactly far-flung, is it?" Rose jumps down as well and looks over his shoulder at the paper. The Doctor followed. Allyson still stood by the TARDIS door, not wanting to leave her. She looked around and noticed something very odd. When did 21st century London have zeppelins?

"So, this is London." The Doctor looked around.

"Yep." Mickey smiled.

"Your city."

"That's the one."

"Just as we left it."

"Bang on."

"And that includes the zeppelins?" Rose and Mickey follow his gaze to see the air space above London full of zeppelins.

"What the hell...?" Mickey began.

"That's _beautiful._" Rose breathed out, in awe of the scene.

"Okay. So, it's London with a big international zeppelin festival." Mickey reasoned.

"This is not your world." The Doctor told him flat out, but Mickey was confused.

"But if the date's the same." The gears in his head begin to work. "It's parallel, right? Am I right?" Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins, am I right? I'm right, aren't I?" Allyson rolled her eyes at him. No, she thought, he couldn't _possibly_ be right. Right? He couldn't be right. He was right wasn't he? Right, he was right.

"Must be." He's mind was else where so he didn't catch Allyson's irritation.

"So, a parallel world where -" Rose began but Mickey cut her off.

"Oh, come on. You see it on films. Like an alternative to our world were everything's the same but a little bit different, like.. I dunno - traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected.." Rose looked distantly at an add on a wall close by.

"And he's still alive.." She whispered. "A parallel world and my dad's still alive..." Allyson frowns, she hadn't known of Rose's father. Rose walks over to the poster, the three of them following her.

"Don't look at it, Rose. Don't even think about it. This is not your world." The Doctor told her sternly. Rose looked close to tears.

"But he's my dad... and.." She reaches out and touches the add, it springs to life.

_**"Trust me on this."**_ He said, winking and giving a thumbs up. Rose steps back startled.

"Oh, that's weird. But he's real!" The poster kept repeating 'Trust me on this' in the background. Rose smiles, happy he's still alive. "He's a success! he was always planning these daft little schemes, health-food drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it." The Doctor grasps Rose's shoulders and roughly turns her to face him.

"Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now." He began urgently, but Rose kept glancing at the poster. "Stop looking at it!" He shouted, she looks back at him reluctantly. "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. That is A Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie - his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you." Rose kept looking back at the poster. Allyson walked forward and looked at the man, sizing him up. "You can't see him. Not ever." Rose gives a small nod, Mickey puts a comforting hand on her shoulder but she shrugs it off. Instead she turns and puts her head on Allyson's shoulder. Allyson quickly put her arms around Rose and rubbed her back. The Doctor and Mickey watched the two girls silently. Rose pulled away from Allyson after a while and looked back at the Doctor.

"So now what?"

"Well, now I go and see if there's anything I can use in the TARDIS to take us home." He looked around at the zeppelins.

"_We go."_ Allyson stepped forward. The Doctor's head snapped back to look at her.

"We?"

_"You're not the only techie here."_ She smiled at him causing him to smile back.

"Mickey, keep an eye on Rose." The Doctor grabbed Allyson's hand and began to walk back to the TARDIS.

"Wait! Where you two going?" He called back. The Doctor stopped and faced him.

"We're going to get us home." He grinned. Mickey frowned.

"Well, maybe I can help."

"No, you can't. Allyson's about the only one who could." The Doctor brushed him off and resumed walking back to the TARDIS. Once inside they get to work looking for anything still working.

A little while later, the Doctor had given up on the TARDIS. She was dead. There was nothing he could do anymore, but Allyson continued to piddle around with the wires and cables underneath some grading. His eye's followed her movements as he sat still. "_Time travel?_" She asked, striking up a conversation. They'd exchanged a few words occasionally during their investigation but nothing big. The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"What, you want to know how it's done?" She nodded her head at him, since the droids and the 51st century spaceship she's been intrigued by astronomy and other physics. "Oh, well. It's an over complicated mass of… stuff.." He looked down at his shoes. "I'm gonna have to come up with a term for that." He mumbled to himself. Allyson looked up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"_How does it work?"_ He shook his head.

"Oh come on, there's got to be other things that interest you, isn't there?" She gave him a hard look, telling him to explain… Now. "Oh, all right." He walked over to where Allyson was working and sat down next to her. "Time dilation, the actual difference between two events is measured by observers either moving relative to each other or differently situated from gravitational masses. Your mate, Einstein, actually nailed it spot on with his Theory of Relativity." He continued watching her work. "The TARDIS can travel through time because the faster you travel the slower time becomes and eventually stops. From there you can decide where you want to go. For instance, the nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is 4.243 light years from Earth. You travel the speed of light, time slows down so instead of 80,000 years you'd do it in 4. However, if you travel faster than light it's even less."

"_So the TARDIS flies faster than light?" _He nodded.

"Yeah. So instead of 4 years it could be 4 seconds." He leaned over her shoulder looking at what she was working on, only to find she was just braiding wires. "So, even my brilliant Allyson, the girl who built her own sonic, fixed the fireplace, and rebuilt K9, can't figure out anything?" He looked over at her, rather close to her.

"_No._" She sighed. "_Even if I could fix it, there's no power to use."_ He nodded, he'd come to the same conclusion. They sat in silence for a while just spacing out, thinking.

"You still don't remember anything do you?" He asked her finally. He'd hoped that eventually on their travels she'd remember something, but nothing seemed to jog her memory. She shook her head, it bothered her that she had no past. As much as the Doctor wished that he could forget all the horrible things he did, he wasn't sure if it would be any better. At least then you have a history to draw on, you know who and what you are and where you stand. But she has nothing. Blank, until he came along. He put his arm around her shoulders pulling her over so her head rested on his shoulder. He placed his head on top of hers and closed his eyes.

"_It's terrible."_ She thought to him. "_Not knowing who you are. How do you do it?"_ He looked at her questioningly.

"What do you mean? I know who I am. I'm the Doctor." He was confused.

"_No, I mean. How do you live day by day knowing that no-one knows __**you**__?_" It was a hard question for her to ask him, but if he didn't want to answer it he wouldn't. He stared off for a while, thinking.

"I don't think about it." He told her truthfully. He lives day by day, he thinks about the here and now. Not about the past that was. He's never really told anyone of his uprising or of his past companions or adventures. He never wanted to relive the pain of losing it all.

Just then Mickey enters the TARDIS, the Doctor and Allyson immediately stand up. Anger flared inside the Doctor. "I told you to keep an eye on her!" He nearly screamed at him.

"She's all right -" He began to brush off the Doctor but the Doctor wasn't having it.

"She goes wondering off - parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling out."

"Oh, so it's just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me?" The Doctor stepped back, he hadn't expected that.

"_He wasn't saying that."_ Allyson told Mickey as she stepped forward in front of the Doctor. His gaze focused on her.

"Why are you defending him? We're both the tin dog here. Neither one of us really matter to him! We're useless to them." Mickey was getting frustrated. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him.

"Don't talk to Allyson like that! You know, I have half a mind to send you back home if the TARDIS worked!" He glared at Mickey.

"If you knew anything about me you'd know I don't really have a home to go back to!" Mickey fumed, thoroughly mad. The Doctor quieted down but continued to give Mickey a hard stare. The Doctor turned and angrily kicked the console, an angry scowl on his face. Mickey sighed, trying to forget his anger. "Did that help?" He asked the Doctor, changing the subject.

"Yes." He bit out.

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes!" He shouted, why wouldn't it hurt? He just kicked a large hunk of metal. He gripped his foot in pain. "Ow." He cried as he rubbed his injured foot. He glanced over at Allyson, she stood by the console, tears had built up in her eyes. It wasn't her fault she was useless. She had no memories of what she could do. As far as they could gather she was probably a computer mechanic. She only seemed to be able to fix electronics. But if you asked her how you tie a tie, she would be able to tell you.

"_Don't listen to him, Allyson. You're not useless, you're not a tin dog, and you __**do**__ matter to me_." He told her. She stared at him, stunned. He'd never spoken to her within her own mind before. It was odd having his voice inside her head. It made her feel, not so alone. She smiled at him, thankful for his reassurances.

The Doctor and Mickey sit awkwardly in the chair next to the console, Allyson sat on the grates and began fiddling with some wire. "We're not meant to be here. The TARDIS draws its power off the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

"But, I've seen it in comics. People are hopping from one alternative world to another – it's easy." Allyson rolled her eyes at Mickey, of course he'd think that anything in comic books was suddenly true. The Doctor gave him a 'your ridiculous' look.

"Not in the real world. Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, be home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind. Mickey frowned.

"Then how did we get here?" The Doctor looked wearily down at the console.

"I dunno. Accident? Should've been impossible – now we're trapped." They all stared off into silence, but something caught the Doctor's eye. "What's that?" He spotted a tiny green light beneath the gratting that Allyson was sitting on.

"What?" Mickey asked.

"That there, " he pointed at it, "is that a reflection?" He looked up checking for a green light but found none. Both Mickey and the Doctor kneel on the floor staring at the little light. The Doctor begins to get excited. "It's a light! Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light! That's all we need!" He laughed. They went to pull off the grilling but found Allyson still sitting on it. "Um, Allyson? Can you move?" She continued to stare off into nothing, no longer fiddling with her wires. She just sat there. The Doctor, thinking she didn't hear him, tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped and looked over at him. He smiled. "Could you move?" She quickly moved over so they could remove the grilling. The Doctor grinning viciously.

"We've got power! Mickey! Allyson! We've got power! Ha!"

Allyson looks down at the light and smiles too. They move the grid off to the side and begin to pull out important looking parts of the TARDIS. Like the cooling system and parts of the main system electrics. But hey, nothing the Doctor could try to fix and then have Allyson actually fix it later. Allyson watched the Doctor pull out some of the TARDIS's computer chips and hoses, looking at them with sadness as he just threw them to the side.

"It's alive!" He smiled almost delirious with joy. Seriously, he acted like a fat kid who had his sweets taken away for a whole week and then he found one sweet on the floor, under his bed, from five years ago.

"What is it?" Mickey looked at him oddly.

"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life. But with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside." He smiled down at it, so so happy.

"Enough to get us home?" He asked. The Doctor sobered up some and focused more on trying to get the power cell.

"Not yet." He sat back and looked down at the power cell, a frown stuck on his face. He looked at Mickey then to Allyson and then back down at the power cell. He looked back at Allyson with a childlike look on his face. "I can't reach it." He pouted. Allyson sighed, rolling her eyes, and jumped down into the spot with the Doctor. A rather tight fit, she turned and looked up at the Doctor. Her chest pressed up against his. "What?" He asked after a while, still pouting, but he had a confused expression on his face.

"_Personal space?_" He made an 'Oooh' face and stepped up a few stairs. She turned back around and began her adventure through some piping to reach the little power cell.

She had her feet hooked onto part of the TARDIS console, so she could reach downwards, and her right arm held her in place. She was bent almost completely backwards and she still couldn't reach it. She loosened her grip on the console and slipped down a little ways, but still couldn't reach it. Every time she touched it, the little bugger slipped a little further from her reach. She had her tongue sticking out of her mouth in an effort to reach farther. However, all she managed to accomplish was falling into the crevice, her left hand supporting her weight while her right tried to push herself back out. The Doctor laughed as her feet kicked in the air, trying to find something to anchor onto. Mickey laughed as well. "Mickey grab her legs."

Mickey obediently walked behind her, grabbed her thrashing legs, and lifted her up. When she was free of the piping, she smiled at the Doctor and held up her hand, revealing the power cell. The Doctor nearly giggled and grabbed her from Mickey bridal style. He sat her down on the grilling and took the power cell from her, making her frown. He focused his gaze on the little green light. "I need to charge it up." Mickey sat back down, and watched the Doctor. The Doctor cradled the little light in his hands, like a baby.

"We could go outside and latch it up to the national grid!" Mickey said, thinking that it would work like any other normal electronic.

"Wrong sort of energy. It's gotta come from our universe."

"But we don't have anything." Mickey frowned. The Doctor looked up at him shaking his head lightly.

"There's me.." The Doctor blew gently over the power cell, causing it to glow brightly. The Doctor and Allyson beam. "I just gave away ten years of my life. Worth every second!" He giggled like a nerd who just found Mr. Toots. They all stare at the little crystal, awestruck smiles on their faces, as the light fades.

"It's going out – is that okay?" Mickey frowned again.

"It's on a recharging cycle." The Doctor explained as it grew brighter again, and then dimmed. "It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in – oh – 24 hours?" He smooches the power cell, still grinning like an idiot.

"So, that gives us 24 hours in a parallel world?"

"Surely! As long as we keep our head down. Easy. No problem." He walks out of the little area under the grilling and helps Allyson to her feet, Mickey standing as well. The Doctor begins to toss the power cell into the air. "Let's go and tell her." He smiles as Allyson snatches the cell from the air mid-toss and puts it in her pocket of her jacket. He reaches over grabs her hand and leads her out of the TARDIS to go find Rose.

They find Rose sitting on a bench by the Thames, she was staring out at it and Allyson could tell she was upset. She ran up to Rose, leaving the warmth of the Doctor's hand, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she sat on the back of the bench like Rose. "There you are! You all right? No applause, I fixed it!" Allyson gave him a sharp look and the Doctor reconsidered his words. "Uh, we did it! Allyson helped a little." He moves to sit down but finds Allyson's feet were placed strategically so he didn't have room. "Well, by a little I mean a lot. Couldn't have done it without her, as a matter of fact!" Magically he has room to sit down! "24 hours, then we're flying back to reality." He sits down, his back resting against Rose and Allyson's legs. Rose sat silent, staring at her phone. The Doctor looked up at her, expecting a reaction but noticed her phone. His grin instantly dropped. "What is it?"

"My phone connected. There's this… Cybus Network, it finds your phone. It gave me Internet access." She was still staring at her phone.

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world." He told her adamantly. Allyson continued to half hug Rose, trying to comfort her as much as she could.

"I don't exist." She finally told them.

"What do you mean?"

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie.. he still married mum… but they never had kids." The Doctor reached over and tried to snatch her phone away.

"Give me that phone." But she was too quick and she pulled it away from him.

"They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want." She pauses, close to tears. "But they haven't got me." She stands from the bench and looks out over the Thames. Allyson stands as well, and pulls her into a hug.

"_Then they don't have everything._" Rose pulls away from Allyson.

"I've gotta see him."

"You can't." He told her sternly.

"I just wanna see him."

"I can't let you!"

"You just said 24 hours!" She screamed angrily.

"You can't become their daughter, that's not the way it works! Mickey, tell her." The Doctor looked back at Mickey who looked deep in thought.

"24 hours, yeah?" He began to walk off in the opposite direction of Rose.

"Where're you going?" The Doctor asked, bewildered.

"Well, I can do what I want!" Mickey smiled.

"I've got the address and everything." Rose said, while walking backwards. The Doctor looked from one to the other frantically. Trying to decide who to go after.

"Stay where you are, both of you! Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!" He demanded.

"I just wanna see him." Allyson looked back and forth too, she didn't want to leave Rose and Mickey didn't like her. It would be a no brainer but she knew the Doctor was going to go after Rose. Allyson knew she would be safe, but as much as she disliked it, she felt she had to go with Mickey. As an obligation to Rose and the Doctor.

"Yeah, I've got things to see and all." Mickey hollered back at the Doctor.

"Like WHAT?" He screamed.

"Well, you don't know anything about me, do ya? It's always about Rose. I'm just a spare part." The Doctor continues to look back and forth, lost as to who to go after still.

"I'm sorry. I've gotta go." Rose turned and walked away, going to find her family. The Doctor looks at Mickey, hoping he'd see reason.

"Go on then." He gestured towards Rose. "No choice, is there? You can only chase after one of us, and it's never gonna be me, is it?" The Doctor looked at Rose, then back to Mickey.

"Back here in 24 hours!" He told him and he runs after Rose. Mickey looks over at Allyson who stands silently watching them go.

"Yeah. If I haven't found something better." He said to himself, Allyson glared at him. "Aren't you gonna go after her too?" He sneered.

"_No._" She told him simply. He rolled his eyes and walked away from her.

"Whatever."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mickey and Allyson walk along a factory, neither speaking nor looking at each other. They come across a few military men patrolling traffic on a road ahead. One of the soldiers approach them. "Am I all right to get past?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah. No bother. Curfew doesn't start 'til 10." The Soldier told him.

"There's a curfew?" Mickey asked confused.

"Course there is." The soldier said, not believing the boy in front of him. "Where've you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?" They all look up at the zeppelins floating about.

"I wish." He walks off towards the gate, "See ya." He called over his shoulder as one of the soldiers lift the barrier for him and Allyson. They walk through the run down looking buildings until they come up to a door that Mickey stopped to stare at. Allyson looked at him and the door, immediately knowing it was personal. Mickey rushes up to the door and knocks a few times.

"Who's that there?" A woman's voice sounded inside. The door opens and an elderly lady steps out, obviously blind, using her cane to feel for anyone outside her door. "Who is it? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking a old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing." She holds up her walking stick threateningly. "And don't think I'm gonna disappear! You're NOT gonna take ME." Mickey just stands silently before her. Allyson furrows her brows, who was disappearing?

"Hi." Mickey finally breathed, causing the lady to freeze.

"Is that you?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"It's me. I came home." Allyson could hear the emotion in Mickey's voice. So, he must have lost her in their world, she thought. The lady reached out and touches Mickey's face.

"Ricky?" She asked incredulously.

"It's Mickey." He corrected her. She would have given him a pointed look if she could.

"I know my own grandson's name. It's Ricky. Now, come here." She scolded him before pulling him into a hug.

"Okay, I'm Ricky. Of course I am. Ricky, that's me." He smiled happy. Suddenly the lady pulls away and slaps him on shoulder. "Ow!" He whined as she continued to whack him.

"You stupid boy." Whack. "Where've you been?" Whack.

"Ow! Stop hitting me!" She was still smacking him.

"It's been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories. People disappearing off the streets. There's nothing of it on the download." She pointed to her earpieces. "But there're all these rumours, and – and whispers. I thought that you had disappeared!" Mickey glanced over and noticed the torn carpet on the stairs behind her. Tears built up in his eyes.

"That carpet on the stairs, I told you to get it fixed, you're gonna" He trails off. "Fall and break your neck."

"Well, you get it fixed for me." She told him.

"I shoud'a done way back. I guess I'm just kinda useless."

"Now, I never said that." She said sincerely.

"I am, though. And I'm sorry, gran. I'm so sorry." Mickey began to get all choked up. Allyson stood back, watching the whole thing, letting Mickey have his own time with his grandmother.

"Don't talk like that. Do you know what you need? A nice sit down and a cuppa tea. You and your friend got time?" Mickey smiled at his grandmother.

"For you, I've got all the time in the world." She laughs at him

"You say that, but it's all talk. It's those new friends of yours. Is this one of them?" She looked in the general direction of Allyson.

"Yeah," He smiled. "This is Allyson, but she's not exactly a friend." His grandmother snorted.

"I don't trust your new friends one bit."

"What friends are they?" Mickey tilted his head.

"Don't pretend you don't know. You've been seeing them. Mrs, Chan told me. Driving about all helter-skelter, in that van." Suddenly, as if on cue, a van comes skidding around the corner. Allyson's head snaps over in that direction, and sees a blue van.

"What van's that, then?" Mickey asked his grandmother, seemingly oblivious to the noise.

"You know full well! Don't play games with me." She said sternly as a van pulls up behind Mickey. "Get inside!" A man jumps out of the van and grabs Mickey.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" He pushes Mickey into the van and begins to shut the door but Allyson grabs it and swiftly climbs in. The man just looks at her oddly. "Who the hell are you?" She just sat next to Mickey, not that she wanted to but she had to protect him, and gave him a hard stare, obviously she wasn't going to answer him. The man shakes his head and returns his focus to Mickey. "Ricky, you were the one who told _us_ - you don't contact your family 'cos it puts them in danger!" Allyson raised her eyebrow, this Ricky must be a completely different man.

"Yeah. Ricky said that. Course I did, just testing." He covered, not very smoothly though.

"I saw them. I taped them! They went round Black Friars gathering up the homeless like a child-catcher. They must've took four dozen."

"The vans were hired out to a company called 'International Electromatics'. but I did a protocol search… turns out that's a dummy company established by, guess who?" The woman who was driving, piped in.

"I dunno, who?" Mickey asked, dumbly.

"Cybus Industries!" They both shouted at him. He nods, and stays silent, just going along with it. Allyson sat silently, just listening to them.

"And now we've got evidence!" The man said to the woman up front.

"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy. So that just leaves you." She told Mickey, who just looked confused by all the happenings.

"Leaves me what?" Allyson furrowed her brows, this Ricky guy seems like a shady character.

"The Number 1. Top of the list. London's Most Wanted." The man said with a smile on his face.

"Okay, cool." Mickey nodded before doing a double take. "Say that again?" The guy just ignored him but nodded towards Allyson.

"So, who's your friend?" Mickey glanced over at Allyson.

"Allyson, and she's not a friend." Mickey told him flatly. As the van pulls up outside an old abandoned looking house. They pull up to the door and the guy hops out, and waits for Mickey and Allyson to jump out too.

"There's a light on. There's someone inside the base." Mickey and Allyson hop out and look up at the building. "Mrs, Moore - we've got visitors." The guy said. Mrs, Moore nods and readies a weapon. They all sneak through the alleyway until they come to an old door. Mrs, Moore and the guy crouch on either side of it, ready to bust in. "One…. Two.. Three… go!" They kick down the door and point their guns at the one person in the room. Ricky, the other Mickey, stands inside by the fireplace.

"What the hell are you doing?" He demands. They look back and forth between Ricky and Mickey, completely confused.

"What're you doing there?!" The guy said, still really confused. Ricky walks forward slowly.

"What am I doing HERE?" He pointed at Mickey. "What am I doing THERE?" The two with the guns turn their aim at Mickey and Allyson. They both raise their hands, not wanting to be shot. They ushered them in, guns still pointed at their heads.

They bind Allyson's hands and feet and let her lie on the floor. She laid there, shivering like a leaf. It was the hospital all over again, and all she could see were cat people. They strip Mickey down to his boxers and tie him to a chair. "So, who's she? Your lover?" Ricky asked. Allyson curled up in a ball, trying to fight the memories.

"What?" Mickey looked repulsed by the idea. "No!" The guy from before, whom they learned was Jake, was scanning Mickey with a portable scanner. The results were delivered to Mrs, Moore's laptop when he finishes. "He's clean. No bugs." Jake told Ricky, distracting him.

"But this is off the scale. He's flesh and blood - how did that happen?" Ricky continued to stare at Mickey, who looked about ready to pee his pants.

"Well, it could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning? Or your father had a bike?" Ricky glares at Mickey and begins to circle him.

"Your name is Mickey, not Ricky?"

"Mickey. Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Cliffton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back." Ricky bends over, his face inches away from Mickey's.

"But that's MY dad. So… we're brothers?"

"Be fair. What else could it be?" Jake shrugged his shoulders, completely at a loss.

"I don't know." Ricky continued to stare down Mickey. "But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same. There's something else going on here, Jake." Mickey swallows a lump, still scared, and takes a deep breath.

"So, who are you lot?" Ricky stood straight and began circling the chair again. Like a lion stalking a baby gazelle.

"We -we are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth. You see?" He pointed to his ears. "No ear plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we - WE have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted. But target Number One is Lumic, and we ARE going to bring him down." Mickey glances around.

"From your kitchen?"

"Have you got a problem with that?" Mickey quickly shakes his head.

"No, it's a good kitchen." Mrs, Moore's laptop beeps.

"It's an upload from Gemini. The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic's finally making a move."

"And we are right behind him. Pack up, we're leaving." Ricky smirked.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A large black lorry drives past the blue van what sat waiting in the shadows. It pulls out not to long after the lorry and begins to follow it from a distance. Ricky was driving. In the back, Jake and Mrs, Moore load their guns. Mickey and Allyson sit in silence and watch them. Allyson rubbed her wrists that now had rope burn on them. She huddled in the corner, still scared from being tied up but mostly weary of the guns that were in front of her.

They drive up to a large house and hide the van a ways out back. Ricky and Jake had gone out to check out the house and to watch the lorry. Mrs, Moore, Mickey, and Allyson, sat in the van watching Mrs, Moore work. "I've identified the address. It belongs to Peter Tyler. The Vitext millionaire." Allyson froze and looked over in the direction of the house. All she could see was the roof, but she knew Rose and the Doctor were in there.

"Pete Tyler?"

"He's listed as one of Lumic's henchmen. A traitor to the state." Allyson didn't believe it. Not Rose's dad. She never knew of him, but anyone from Rose's family could never be bad.

"But… but.." Mickey stuttered, utterly shocked at what Mrs, Moore had told him. "We've gotta get in there." Ricky's voice came over the intercom.

"Now, shut it, duplicate, that's what I just said…" Something caught his attention. "What're they doing?…What the hell are they?" They could barely hear the rhythmic pounding of metal. Something was marching, Allyson thought. She looked fearfully up at Mickey.

"_Rose!_" She and Mickey jumped out of the van and ran as fast as they could.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor, Rose, and Pete were running through the yard, trying to escape through the side gates only to be met by a row of Cybermen. They change direction and run into Ricky and Jake, both holding guns. "Who's that?" Rose shouted above all the chaos.

"Get behind me!" Ricky ordered. They stand behind Ricky and Jake as they open fire on the Cybermen. They stop marching. Rose, relieved, turns to Ricky and begins to fuss with his jacket.

"Oh my God, look at you.." She pulls him into a tight hug, much to Ricky's bewilderment. "I thought I'd never see you again!" Ricky pushes her away.

"Yeah, no offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" Mickey, the real Mickey, comes running up to the small group, breathless.

"Rose!" He hunched over, trying to catch his breath. "That's not me. That's like.. The other one." He explained. Rose looked back and forth.

"Mickey, where's Allyson?" The Doctor asked, anger bubbling up.

"I don't know." He said between huffs. "She was right behind me." Cybermen begin to circle around them.

"We're surrounded.." Rose looked around, almost relieved that Allyson wasn't here. Maybe she's still okay. Ricky and Jake raise their guns at the Cybermen.

"Put the guns down. Bullets wont stop them." The Doctor said, still angry with Mickey for letting Allyson out of his sight. The two guys ignore the Doctor and open fire, but the bullets just bounce off. The Doctor pushes the guns aside furiously. "No! Stop shooting, now!" He screamed at them. He turns to the Cybermen who had halted their advance. "We surrender! Hands up… " Everyone puts their hands up. "There's no need to damage us, we're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"You are rogue element." One of the Cybermen replied.

"But we surrender." The Doctor frowned.

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender!" He screamed.

"You will be deleted." The Doctor panics.

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!" He screamed frantically.

"You are inferior. Man will be reborn as Cybermen but you will perish under maximum deletion." The Cyberman raises it's arm and reaches towards the Doctor. Everyone looking terrified. "Delete. Delete. Delete!

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Hey! Sorry! I know, I usually update like every 3 days but the past 2 days I've been short on time =_=. Yesterday I went to a Supernatural convention and met Misha Collins! =D totally happy. Anywhooo... I know not much Doctor/Allyson bonding time. I got the episodes mixed up in my head. And I know it's short. Probably one of the shortests ones I'll have.

Tatty-bye, loves!


	6. Chapter 6: Age of Steel

**Chapter 6: Age of Steel**

They all stand, petrified of what would happen next. The Cyberman was still reaching out, charging up his power cells in order to kill them. Sweat ran down the Doctor's brow, knowing they were all about to die. The Doctor squeezed his eyes shut as the sound of charging energy emitted from the Cyberman's arm. "DELETE!" It shouted. Everyone shut their eyes, awaiting their deaths. The sound of a laser sounded, causing them all to jump.

Seeing as he was still alive the Doctor peeked open one of his eyes only to see all of the Cybermen laying on the ground, dead. He and everyone else looked around at the bodies. A small form caught his eye, he looked up at saw Allyson. She was standing behind the main Cyberman's body with a terrified look on her face. She held in her outstretched hands the power cell. She'd used it to fry their circuits. They all stare at her, confused looks on their faces. The Doctor runs forward and wraps her in a hug. "Oh! Allyson! That was brilliant!" He quickly kisses her forehead. "BRILLIANT!" He quickly turned and faced the others, but he still grabbed her hand to be sure she didn't get separated.

"What the hell was that?" Ricky asked.

"I'll explain later - RUN!" They all started to run in the direction they were originally headed when Mrs, Moore drives the van into the yard.

"Everybody in!" She shouted at them as she honked the horn drawing their attention. Jake opens the door and everyone jumps in except for Pete and Rose. The Doctor shoves Allyson inside, making sure she's safe. Pete turns around and tries to run inside to save his wife, but the Doctor grabs him.

"I've gotta go back, my wife's in there." He fought against the Doctor, still trying to reach Jackie.

"Anyone inside that house is dead. If you wanna help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've gotta come with us righ tnow." Pete looks longingly at the house before going with the Doctor, understanding.

"Come on, get a move on!" Mrs, Moore shouted, getting annoyed that they were taking too long. The Doctor runs up to Rose who stands staring at the house, thinking of her mother.

"Rose, she's not your mother." The Doctor looked at her with a quiet urgency in his voice.

"I know." She blinked at him. He nodded before dragging her with him and hop in the van.

"Finished chatting?! Never seen a slower getaway in my life!" Mrs, Moore rolled her eyes as she floored it, leaving the Cybermen behind.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

They all sat in the van, rather tightly packed, as it speeds long. Mrs, Moore still driving with Ricky in front, who was glaring at the power cell that the Doctor had taken from Allyson. "What was that thing?"

"Little bit of technology from my home." The Doctor answered, still looking at the power cell, watching it.

"It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" Mickey asked from beside the Doctor.

"It's on a revitalizing loop." He put the power cell in his pocket. "It'll charge back up in about 4 hours."

"Right. So, we don't have a weapon anymore." Ricky frowned.

"Yeah, we've got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things but they're good enough for men like him." He looked across at Pete, who sat next to Rose. Allyson frowned at Jake, not happy with Pete being accused of treason.

"Leave him alone!" Rose demanded. "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know - just laid a trap that's wipes out the Government. And left Lumic in charge." Jake answered, still glaring at Pete.

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete looked at him, appalled that he'd think such a thing.

"Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though." Ricky glared at him from behind the grilling in the van.

"Talk about executions, you'll make ME your enemy. And take some really good advice - you don't wanna do that." The Doctor cast them a dangerous look and they both backed down.

"All the same... we have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5." Ricky still glared at the man. Rose looks over at Pete, taken back by the information.

"Is that true?" She asked. Pete shifts in his seat.

"Tell 'em, Mrs, M." Ricky looked back at Mrs, Moore.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information. Lumic's private files, his South American operations... the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week." She spoke loud enough for them to hear.

"Broadcasts from Gemini?" Pete has disbelievingly.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky gave him an odd look.

"I'm Gemini. That's ME." He pointed to himself. Relief flooded Allyson, so he wasn't bad.

"Yeah, well you would say that."

"Encrypted wavelength 6-5-7 using binary 9." The series of numbers cause Jake and Ricky to look at each other, finally believing him. "That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van!" He yelled in disbelief.

"No, no, no! But the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted!" Mickey chimed in, clearly confused.

"yeah, that's not exactly..." Ricky trailed off.

"Not exactly what?" Mickey demanded.

"I'm London's Most Wanted for.. parking tickets." Ricky sheepishly half smiled. The Doctor grinned, Rose raised her eyebrows, and Allyson frowned.

"Great." Pete called out sarcastically.

"They were deliberate! I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me." Ricky frowned, getting defensive.

"Good policy. I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, and that's Allyson, if anyone's interested.." The Doctor smiled.

"And I'm Rose. Hello!" She smiled shyly.

"Even better. That's the name of my dog. Still - at least I've got the catering staff on my side." Pete rolled his eyes. Rose and Allyson look over at him.

"I knew you weren't a traitor." Rose said silently.

"_Neither did I._" Allyson told Rose.

"Same with Allyson." Rose added. Pete looked between them.

"Why's that, then?" Rose glances over at the Doctor, who was silently watching her.

"We just did." She tried to smile.

"They took my wife." He hung his head, sad at her loss.

"She might still be alive." Rose tried to cheer him up, but he shook his head.

"That's even worse. 'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living.. and he turns them into those machines."

"Cybermen." The Doctor corrected. "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear-pods off, if I were you." Pete reaches up and takes them out, doing as he's told and hands them to the Doctor. "You never know.. Lumic could be listening." He pulls out his sonic and disables them. "But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you - this ends tonight." He finished with a determined look in his eye. They all sit silently as the van continues on.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

They all walk along the street where the people are marching. None of them notice the group and continue to march. "What the hell?" Jake looked around confused.

"What's going on?" Rose asked.

"It's the ear-pods. Lumic's taking control." The Doctor walked up close to someone who was wearing them, and examined it.

"Can't we just.. I donno, take them off?" She reached up to try and pull them off, but a hand quickly grabbed her wrist.

"_Don't._" She told her.

"Don't! Cause a brainstorm. Human Race - for such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control an you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life." He looks around at the passing people as Allyson let's Rose's arm go.

"Hey." Jake called over. He and Ricky were crouching, peering around the corner. "Come and see." They walk over to join them and look around the corner as well. A row of Cybermen march alongside some of the people who were undercontrol of the ear-pods, still heading in the same direction.

"Where are they all going?" Rose wondered out loud.

"I don't know. Lumic must have a base of operation." The Doctor watched the Cybermen march on.

"Battersea. That's where he was building his prototypes." Pete told the Doctor.

"Why's he doing it?" Rose looked back at him.

"He's dying. This all started out as a way of life by keeping the brain alive. At any cost." Pete continued to watch the people.

"The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I? That head - those handle shapes in Van Statten's musem." Rose frowned slightly, while she was trying to place where she saw them.

"Ah, there are Cybermen in _our_ universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on earth."

"What the hell are you two on about?" Pete demanded.

"Never mind that. Come on, we need to get out of the City." Ricky turned around, seeing the Cybermen fastly approaching down the street. "Okay, split up - Mrs, Moore, you look after _that_ bloke. Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move." He runs off in one direction, Jake in the other. Mickey turns to face Rose.

"I'm going with him." He quickly kisses her on the lips and follows after Ricky.

"Come on, let's go." Mrs, Moore leads them as they run away from the Cybermen. "There!" They all run down the alley, the Cybermen following behind them. They come up to a little enclave created by some rubbish and dustbins. They all crouch down. Rose holding Allyson's and Pete's hand, terrified but finds solace in being close to them. The Cybermen march up and stop when they encounter the pile of rubbish. The Doctor silently pulls out his sonic and adjusts the setting. He clicks it on and points it at the Cybermen who soon turn and walk away. They all stand, Rose letting go of Pete's hand but not Allyson's, and watch them walk away.

"Go." The Doctor whispered to them as they crept out from behind the dustbins and run the opposite direction.

**..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..**

The Doctor, Allyson, Rose, Mrs, Moore, and Pete were all standing around waiting for Jake to return. "_How'd you get separated form Mickey?"_ The Doctor asked Allyson telepathically. She jumped slightly, still not use to it. She showed him images of them running and then encountering some Cybermen. They split up, trying to lose them. She ran around a bit, trying to get back to Mickey but only found the Cybermen surrounding them. "_How'd you know how to use the power cell to fry their circuits?_" Allyson frowned. She had no clue, she just did it, it felt like something she should know how to do already. Suddenly, Jake came running up, "I ran past the river. You should've seen it, the whole City's on the watch. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames." Just as he finished Mickey or was it Ricky? came running up out of breathe. Jake's face lit up at the sight of him. "Here he is!" Mickey/Ricky looks over at him but doesn't reply. "Which one are you?" Jake furrows his brow.

"I'm sorry. The Cybermen. He couldn't..." Mickey began, huffing.

"Are you Ricky? ARE YOU RICKY?" Jake demanded. Rose stepped forward, Allyson close behind her, not wanting to let go of her hand.

"Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah." He breathed out. Rose runs away from Allyson and up to Mickey, enclosing him in a hug. Jake looks down at the ground, silent and thoughtful. "He tired. He was running." Mickey continued, looking at Jake hoping to help in some way, but he turns away. "There was too many of them." Mickey followed him.

"Shut it." Jake told him as his face contorts with pain.

"There was nothing I could do." Mickey cried. Jake spun around to face him.

"I said just SHUT IT. Don't even TALK about him. You're NOTHING, you are." Both men look close to tears at what was happening. "Nothing."

"We can mourn him when London is safe." The Doctor cut in calmly. "But now, we move on." They look at the Doctor before silently nodding. "Alright, so we find Lumic and shut him down. Jake, Mrs, Moore, do you know where he is?"

"Of course." Mrs, Moore stepped in, letting Jake take some time to himself. "Follow us, it's not to far from here." Her and Jake begin to walk in the direction that everyone was heading in. They walk up a slope and on the other side is Lumic's factory, which sits across a river.

"The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be 'converted'." The Doctor looked on, checking out the factory. Allyson, Rose, and Mickey stepped up behind him.

"We've gotta get in there and shut it down." Rose looked at the factory as well.

"How do we do that?" Mickey asked, looking at them both.

"Oh, I'll think of something." The Doctor bushed him off. Allyson rolled her eyes.

"_Or I'll think of something."_ The Doctor looked back at her, slightly hurt, but smiled at her. He turned back to the factory, trying to think of something.

"You're just making this up as you go along!" Mickey cried out, clearly worried.

"Yuuuup. But we do it brilliantly!" Rose smirks at the Doctor and Allyson, having heard Allyson's remark in her mind.

"Wait a minute!" Mickey frowned. "What's she ever done?" The Doctor and Rose sent Mickey a hard stare. Mrs, Moore and Jake sat back and watched silently, not wanting to get in the middle of it.

"Mickey! What is your problem with Allyson?" Rose stepped forward and in front of the girl. "Why don't you like her? She's done nothing to you."

"What? I just don't see why you guys think she's so brilliant." Mickey said angrily. The Doctor also stepped in front of Allyson who had a sad look on her face.

"'Cause she is brilliant! Most brilliant girl I've ever met who couldn't remember anything other than her name. But that doesn't stop her." The Doctor took an angry step towards Mickey, beginning to tower over him. "Every day, despite the fact she has nothing, she gets up and smiles. She can't talk but that doesn't stop her from trying. She's terrified of new people but that doesn't stop her from helping them. She was tied up and had to relive her time at the hospital, but yet she's still fighting with us." Mrs, Moore, Mickey, and Jake give the Doctor a horrified look, he knew about that? "Yes. Of course I know about that. You'd have to be blind to not notice the rope marks on her wrists." Rose frowns and grabs Allyson's wrists to see the marks herself. "She's the one of the most amazing women I've ever met. And I've met a lot of people, Mickey." Mickey swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. He'd never seen the Doctor this angry before. Allyson walked up and touched the Doctor's arm, telling him to calm down. Mickey looked down at his shoes, ashamed.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mrs, Moore had her laptop set out, on it was a 3-D model of the factory. The Doctor wearing his glasses and Allyson squinting at the screen. "That's a schematic of the old factory. Look, cooling tunnels... underneath the plant... big enough to walk through." Everyone looked on at the blueprints, except Jake, who stands a few feet away. He hadn't talked much since Mickey returned.

"We go under there and up into the control center?" The Doctor pointed at the screen. Mrs, Moore hummed in thought.

"There's another way in." Everyone turns and looks at Pete. "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in..." Jake finally snaps out of his trance and walks up to the rest of them.

"We can't just go strolling up." He told them.

"Or, we could... with these..." Mrs, Moore fishes around in her bag until she pulls out some ear-pods, the Doctor and Allyson each take one and examine it. "Fake ear-pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."

"Then that's my job." Pete set his shoulders, determined to go rescue Jackie if it was the last thing he did.

"How many of those have you got?" Rose asked the lady.

"Just two sets."

"Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie... I'm coming with you." Rose grabs a set and goes and stands next to Pete.

"Why does she matter to YOU?" Pete asked her.

"We haven't got time. Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that." Rose looked the Doctor square in the eye, the corners of his mouth tilted upwards slightly.

"No stopping you, is there?" He asked her.

"Nope." He chucked her the ear-pod that he had and Allyson chucked hers too.

"Tell you what... we can take the ear-pods at the same time. Give people their minds back. So they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?" The Doctor gestures for Jake to follow him and leads him up the hill for a better view of the factory. "Lumic's transmitting the control signal, and it must be from over there..." He pulls out his sonic screwdriver and flashes it towards the factory, scanning it until it gives a distinctive beep. "There it is... on the zeppelin, see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?" Jake smiles.

"Consider it done." The Doctor gives him a pat on the shoulder and heads back to the others.

"Mrs, Moore... would you care to accompany me and Allyson into the cooling tunnels?" He smiled at her.

"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?" She smiled back.

"We attack on three sides - above - between - below." He said, taking of his glasses. "We get to the control center, we stop the conversion machines."

"What about me?" Mickey spoke up, surprising everyone.

"Mickey!" The Doctor called, awkwardly. "You can... ahm.." He trailed off. Allyson and Rose both bit at their lips, also caught up in the awkward moment. Everyone had forgotten him.

"What, stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog? No, those days are over. I'm going with Jake." He walked over and took a place next to Jake.

"I don't need you, idiot." Jake sneered.

"I'm not an idiot! You got that?!" Mickey shouted angrily, but calms down. "I'm offering to help."

"Whatever." Jake walked off, Mickey close behind, the Doctor watching.

"Mickey?" He called. Mickey turns back. "Good luck."

"Yeah. You too. Rose, I'll see you later." Mickey nodded at them.

"Yeah, you better." Rose smiled at him.

"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS." He smiles at him, Mickey nodding in response.

"That's a promise." Mickey walks away with Jake, a smile on his face and his chest full of confidence. He glances back to see the Doctor hugging Rose, she grins up at him.

"Good luck." The Doctor told her. Mickey turned back, no longer smiling.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A trap door opens and light pours into the dark corridor. Long curly black hair lowers into the opening, followed by Allysons head. She looks around checking for Cybermen when she caught sight of one. She quickly pulls her head out of the door and grabs a nearby pebble. The Doctor and Mrs, Moore were sitting a few feet away looking at the blueprints of the factory on her laptop again, going over the plan. Allyson peeks back down into the corridor and throws the pebble at one of the Cybermen she caught sight of, only for it to bounce off and the Cyberman remain still. She watches it for a moment before coming to the conclusion that they were cooling down. She looked up at the Doctor and Mrs, Moore, who were done on her laptop, were walking over.

The Doctor and Mrs, Moore climb down. Allyson looked back as she heard metallic steps.

"Jump!" The Doctor told her, hearing the footsteps too. She looked over her shoulder before leaping down and into the Doctor's waiting arms. Mrs, Moore quickly climbed up and shut the lid before jumping down.

"It's freezing in here." Mrs, Moore rubbed her arms and started to dig in her purse.

"Any sign of a light switch?" The Doctor joked, setting Allyson gently on her feet.

"Can't see a thing." She laughed. "But I've got these..." She pulls out a headband with a torch attached to the front. "A device for every occasion.." He turns on the light and quickly slips it on. She hands one to Allyson before putting it on herself.

"Ooh!" The Doctor smiled at it, amazed. "Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you? I'm starving." Mrs, Moore laughs again and Allyson smiles.

"Of all the things to wish for! That's mechanically recovered meat!"

"I know. it's the Cyberman of food - but it's tasty" Mrs, Moore continued to fish in her pack.

"A proper torch as well." She handed him a torch. "I'm sorry, honey, but I only have two." She looked at Allyson apologetically. Allyson shrugged and smiled at the lady.

"Let's see where we are." He switches on the torch and takes a few steps. The beam falls on a Cyberman, he looks down the tunnel revealing hundreds of them. Mrs, Moore looks up and gasps. "Already converted, just paralyzed. Come on!" He grabs Allyson's hand and pulls her close beside him before he begins down the tunnel. A few moments after Mrs, Moore follows, a small smile on her face at the two. The Doctor stops in front of one and examines it closely.

"_Inactive._" Allyson told him, showing him what she had done with the pebble. He nodded.

"Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems." They edge forward slowly, Allyson clinging to the Doctor's arm. Her eye's were watching every Cyberman they walked past, checking for movement.

The Doctor, Allyson, and Mrs, Moore were still walking through the cooling tunnels. Only occasionally talking. Allyson still clung to the Doctor's arm, she had almost a death grip on his hand but he never complained. Occasionally he would squeeze back if she jumped from a weird noise or just randomly. "How did you get into this, then? Rattling along with the Preachers?" The Doctor struck up a conversation.

"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked at Cybus Industries. '95. 'Til one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly, I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techy, so I... I just sat down and taught myself everything."

"What about MR Moore?"

"Well, he's not called 'Moore'. I got that from a book, 'Mrs, Moore'. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you? Got any family, or..?" Allyson looked up at the Doctor, waiting for an answer, hoping it would be an honest answer.

"Oh, who needs family? I've got the whole world on my shoulders. Go on then - what's your real name?" Allyson looked down, she shouldn't have expected him to actually answer.

"Angela Price." He nods, smiling. "Don't tell a soul." She warned him.

"Not a word." The Doctor mimes zipping his lips to Mrs, Moore as he walks on. Allyson's eyes darted around the tunnel, still watching for anything odd when a movement catches her eye. Her grip on the Doctor's arm tightened. He turns while walked to partially face her. "Hey, it's alright. They're not going to come to life and hurt you. Not while their down here." He tried to comfort her.

"Doctor?" Mrs, Moore suddenly sounded scared. "Did that one just move?" The Doctor gave her a hard stare, she was not helping.

"It's just the torchlight. Keep going, come on." He tried to play off, hoping Allyson's death grip on his hand would loosen. Just then, another one turned to face them. "They're waking up - RUN!" He screamed, pulling Allyson down the tunnel as fast as he could. Mrs, Moore following right behind them as the Cybermen sprang to life, one after another. They all turn and begin to march when they reach a ladder at the end of the tunnel. They scramble, trying to climb up to get away from the approaching Cybermen.

"Get up! Quick! They're coming!" Mrs, Moore shouted at him. The Doctor fiddled with his sonic, trying to unlock the door. "Open it! Open it!" Allyson quickly whipped hers out and soniced the door, breaking the seal. He opened the door. "Get up!" They all climb up the ladder as fast as they can move. "Quick! Quick!"

"Come on! Come on!" The Doctor pulled Allyson through the trap door and then Mrs, Moore. Allyson slams the door shut and sonics it close just in time. "Oh, good team, Mrs, Moore! Allyson!" He smiled at each of them. Mrs, Moore just nodded and Allyson smiled. They look around and check their surrounding for any more Cybermen, finding none they continue on in the direction they were going. Allyson had resumed clutching to the Doctor's arm, though not as tightly.

"You are not upgraded." A Cybermen suddenly stepped out in front of them, causing them all to jump.

"Yeah? Well, upgrade THIS." Mrs, Moore through a electronic device at the Cyberman, it sticks to its chest and begins to spark, electrocuting the Cyberman. It shakes and jerks before falling to the floor with a loud thud. The Doctor beams at Mrs, Moore.

"What the hell was that thing?!" He smiled as he approached the body.

"_Electromagnetic bomb." _Allyson chimed in, looking at the device still attached to the Cyberman.

"Electromagnetic bomb. Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit." Mrs, Moore walked up and grabbed the device and shoves it back into her bag.

"You figured right. Now, let's have a look…" The Doctor and Allyson kneel down by the body, he pulls out his sonic screwdriver and tries to remove the logo on the chest of the Cyberman. "Now… know your enemy.. and the logo on the front… Lumic's turned them into a brand." He pulls off the logo so that he could see what was inside. He leaned over to the side so Mrs, Moore could see inside. "Heart of steel.. but look." He reaches in and pulls out some stringy white tissue from inside the chest cavity.

"Is that flesh?" Mrs, Moore looked sick at the thought.

"Hmm… central nervous system. Artificially gown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it IS a living thing. Oh, but look…" He gets a sad look on his face as Allyson points to a chip buried slightly under some tissue. "Emotional inhibitor. Stops them feeling anything."

"But… why?"

"It's still got a human brain.. imagine its reaction if it could see itself. Realize itself inside this thing. They'd go insane." He looked apologetically at the Cyberman.

"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human."

"Because they have to."

"Why am I cold?" The robotic voice spoke up. Allyson jumped and grabbed the Doctor's arm. Mrs, Moore gasped.

"Oh, my God. It's alive. It can FEEL." She was in shock.

"We broke the inhibitor." He explains to her. He leans over the body and gently brushes it's head. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He told the Cyberman.

"Why so cold?" It asked.

"Can you remember your name?" Allyson peeked from behind the Doctor's back, her eyes shiny from a buildup of tears.

"Sally. Sally Phelan." Fear was traceable inside her voice.

"You're a woman.." Mrs, Moore put a hand over her mouth, completely appalled.

"Where's Gareth?" She asked.

"Who's Gareth?" Mrs, Moore looked concerned.

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before." Allyson's breath hitched in her throat.

"You're getting married." Mrs, Moore choked slightly on her own tears.

"I'm cold. I'm so cold." Allyson placed her hand on the Cyberman's cheek.

"_It's okay. You're not alone. Just relax and think of tomorrow. The day yet to come. The joy you two have yet to experience. The love you have for each other."_ She gave the Doctor a telling look as tears begin to fall down her cheeks. He points the sonic at the electronic heart of the Cyberman and shuts it off. The blue light fades, as does Sally Phelan. The Doctor and Allyson stand still looking sympathetically at Sally. Allyson wipes her tears away.

"Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing." Suddenly his face lights up. "'Cos that's the key. The emotional inhibitor – if we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cyberman's head. They'd realize what they are." Allyson frowned, that would kill them.

"And what happens then?" Mrs, Moore asked him.

"I think it would kill them." He frowns. "Could we do that?"

"We've got to. Before they kill everyone else." The Doctor looked down at the Cyberman. He didn't want to make this decision. Allyson grabbed his hand, trying to comfort him. She knew this was hard for him.

"There's no choice, Doctor. It's got to be done." Mrs, Moore couldn't understand why he was so reluctant. They were monsters, no longer human. They were slaughtering everyone, making them into those things. The Doctor continued to look at Sally's body, none of them noticing the Cyberman behind Mrs, Moore. It grabs her by the neck and electrocutes her. The Doctor and Allyson stand and stare in horror.

"No! No! You didn't have to kill her!" The Doctor yelled, furious at the Cyberman.

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system and superior intelligence. You are unknown upgrades. You will be taken for analysis. The Doctor gives them a disgusted look as they lead him and Allyson off. He glances over at Allyson, with a curious look. She had superior intelligence to that of a human. She continues to baffle him at every turn. Maybe he missed something when he'd taken her to the med-bay when he first rescued her. He'd have to submit her to a full systems scan once they escape this.

The Cyberman lead Allyson and the Doctor into the main control room of Battersea. "We've been captured, but don't worry – Rose and Pete are still out there, they can rescue us – "He looks over to see Rose and Pete standing by the computers. "Oh well, never mind." Allyson ran up and hugged Rose, happy to see her okay. "You okay?"

"Yeah. But they got Jackie." She said solemnly as Allyson let her go.

"We were too late. Lumic killed her." Pete sounded defeated.

"Then where is he? The famous Mr, Lumic? Don't we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?" The Doctor looked around the control room.

"He has been upgraded." A random Cyberman spoke up.

"So he's just like you?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"He is superior. The Lumic unit has be designated Cyber Controller." They all turn and face a set of double doors that slide open to reveal Mr, Lumic as a Cyberman. He sat in an ornate chair covered with wires and tubes. They all stare in a mixture of shock and amazement.

"This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator." Mr, Lumic's automated voice stated, suddenly screams erupt from the factory. They could be faintly heard in the control room, the Cybermen looked around confused.

"That's my friends at work." The Doctor smirks. "Good boy! Mr, Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will." He winks.

"I have factories waiting on seven continents. If the ear-pods have failed, then Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world." Mr, Lumic says ominously. "I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace – and unity – and uniformity."

"And imagination? What about that? The one thing that lead you here. Imagination – you're killing it, dead!" The Doctor looked angry.

"What is your name?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

"Yeah, but that's it! That's exactly the point!" He steps forward enthusiastically, forgetting his anger. "Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man… I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room…" Allyson clears her throat, reminding him what the Cyberman had said earlier. "And Allyson… She's here too.. she's brilliant by the way. But anyhow, everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is SO human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for? Eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop! You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts. Lacking the one thing that makes this planet so ALIVE. PEOPLE. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people."

"You are proud of your emotions?" Mr, Lumic asked the Doctor.

"Oh, yes." He smiled.

"Then tell me, Doctor – have you known grief – and rage – and pain?"

"Yes." He looked at Mr, Lumic solemnly. "Yes, I have."

"And they hurt?"

"Oh yes."

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?" The Doctor frowned.

"You might as well kill me."

"Then I take that option."

"It's not yours to take. You're a CYBER controller. You don't control me or anything with blood in its heart."

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own." The Doctor slaps himself in the face, exasperated.

"You just don't get it, do you? An army's NOTHING. 'Cos those ordinary people – they're the key." He looks up at the security camera in the corner of the room. "The most ordinary person could change the world. Some ordinary man or woman.. some idiot. All it takes is for him to find, say, the right numbers.. say, the right codes.. say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him. 'Cos even an idiot knows how to use computers these days. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords… knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under.. what was it, Pete? Binary what?" Pete glanced around, catching on as well to what the Doctor was doing.

"Binary 9." He said rather loudly.

"An IDIOT could find that code. The cancellation code. And he'd keep on typing. Keep on fighting." He looks meaningfully at the camera. "Anything to save his friends.."

"Your words are irrelevant." Mr, Lumic cut in, not seeing the point to the Doctor little charade. He grins at this.

"Talk too much, that's my problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose. For all our long chats. On your PHONE." He glanced at the camera again, and makes the 'phone' sign.

"You will be deleted."

"Yes, delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons. Then of course, my particular favorite – SEND. And let's not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place." Rose's phone rings, signaling she has received a message. "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else.." He walks over to a particular computer and stands. Rose walks up to him.

"It's for you." She hands him her phone.

"Like this." He takes it and shoves it into a port on top of the computer. Fitting perfectly. All the Cybermen clutch their heads in pain. A code flashes on every single computer monitor. All the Cybermen, all over the factory, fall to the ground and start twitching. They cry out in pain as some catch sight of their reflection in the mirror. "I'm sorry." The Doctor looks at them sadly, he'd never wish this on anyone.

"What have you done?!" Lumic cried out furiously as he see's his creations explode.

"I gave them back their souls. They can see what you've done, Lumic! And it's killing them." He, Rose, Allyson, and Pete run from the room.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!"

Small explosions occur within the factory, while the Doctor, Rose, Allyson, and Pete continue to run, looking for a way out. The Doctor opens a door and finds it blocked by Cybermen, wailing. Allyson quickly pushes it shut. "There's no way out!" He yelled, looking around for another way. They begin to run again, looking for a way out when Rose's phone rings. She quickly puts it up to her ear.

"It's Mickey! He says 'head for the roof." She told them. They all run up a flight of stairs, avoiding explosions and fires along the way. They continue up stairs until they run into a ladder and climb up, jumping over a wall onto the roof. They freeze when they see the zeppelin. "Mickey, where'd you learn to fly that thing?!" She looked at it amazed.

Rose, Allyson, Pete, and the Doctor dash forwards, dodging explosions as they run towards the zeppelin. A ladder drops down in front of them. "You've got to be kidding. Rose, Allyson, get up!" Rose starts to climb the ladder with Allyson close behind. The Doctor and Pete jump on behind her and cling to the rope as the zeppelin rises up.

"We did it!" Rose cheered exuberantly. "We did it!" Allyson and the Doctor smile, while Pete struggles to climb the ladder when it is suddenly jerked downwards. Rose screams as they all nearly fall of from the sudden movement. They look down to find Lumic handing on the bottom rungs of the ladder, and begins to climb up. The Doctor pulls out his sonic.

"Pete!" He shouted. "Take this!" He dropped his sonic into Pete's outstretched hand. "Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope – just do it!"

"Jackie Tyler – this is for her!" He pressed the screwdriver against the rope and pressed the button. The rope snaps and Lumic falls down back towards the factory screaming. Pete laughs in delight at Lumic as he falls into the flames of the factory. The Doctor, Rose, Allyson, and Pete all resume to climb up the ladder into the zeppelin.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor and Allyson walk into the dark TARDIS, the Doctor holding the power cell. Allyson quickly takes it from him and puts it into a slot on the TARDIS console. The lights click on and the TARDIS hums with energy. A huge grin across the Doctor's and Allyson's face. "_You did it."_ Allyson smiled at him. He looked over at her and frowned.

"No, _we _did it." Allyson's smile widens.

"_So you never answered Mrs, Moore's question."_ Allyson wanted an answer out of him. She wanted to know something of his past.

"Oh, but I did. You don't need family when you save the world daily." He looked away, trying to change the topic, his smile gone.

"_No, you didn't. The fact that you keep avoiding it means something."_ Allyson reached up and put her hands on his face, slowly she made him turn and face her. "_You don't have to tell me today, tonight, this week, or this month. But when you want to talk. I'm always here."_ He gives her a small smile and grabs her hands, gently pulling them from his face.

"Later." He pulls her out of the TARDIS to go find Rose and Mickey, so then they could leave. Not to far outside was Rose and Pete. "Rose, I've only got 5 minutes of power.. we've gotta go." Rose nodded and looked over at Pete.

"The Doctor could show ya…" Rose said to Pete. The Doctor's eyes darted back and forth between the two, getting a feeling about what they were talking about.

"Thank you. For everything." Pete said, ignoring what Rose had said. She looked close to tears that he didn't seem to want anything to do with her.

"Dad." She tried, hoping his parent instincts would turn on.

"Don't." He gave her a hard look. "Just – just don't." He walks away from Rose, leaving her near tears. The Doctor awkwardly scratches the back of his head. Allyson walks forward and wraps her arms around Rose, letting the girl take comfort in her presence. Mickey and Jake walk up, Mickey hands the Doctor his suit.

"Here it is! I found it. Not a crease." The Doctor takes it, overjoyed to have it back.

"My suit! Good man! Now then, Jake – we've gotta run. But one more thing; Mrs, Moore. Her real name is Angela Price. She's got a husband out there. And children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world." Jake nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, course I will."

"Off we go, then!" The Doctor beamed.

"Uh.. thing is, I'm staying." Mickey said, stepping forward. The Doctor stared at him.

"You're doing what?" The Doctor frowned.

"You can't." Rose stared at him, upset.

"It sort of balances out, 'cos this world lost its Ricky. But there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there." Mickey's lip trembled.

"But you can't stay." Rose looked closed to tears.

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran – remember her?" Rose sniffles, trying to hold back her tears.

"Yeah."

"She NEEDS me."

"What about me? What if I need you?" Rose whispered.

"Yeah, but Rose.. you don't. It's just you, him, and Allyson, isn't it?" He looks over at the Doctor and Allyson, then back to her. "We had something a long time ago, but… not anymore." Rose looks back and forth at the Doctor and Mickey, grasping at straws.

"Well – we'll come back. We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?" The Doctor shook his head sadly.

"We can't. I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We – we fell through a crack in time. When we leave.. I've got to close it. We can't ever return." He looks at Mickey, asking him with his eyes if this was really what he wanted. Rose looks down, defeated and turns to Allyson for comfort. Mickey walks over to the Doctor and holds out his hand to shake.

"Doctor." He takes his hand and shakes it.

"Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories." Mickey nods. "And good luck. Mickey the Idiot." The Doctor slaps Mickey on the cheek.

"Watch it!" Mickey and the Doctor laugh. Mickey then turns and walks over to Allyson. "I'm sorry." He started. "It was unfair of me to treat you like I did. I hope that someday you'll forgive me." She gave him a small smile and nodded.

"_I forgive you._" She walked into the TARDIS followed by the Doctor. They sat in silence in the chairs, waiting for Rose to finish saying goodbye.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The flight back to Rose's time was silent. No one spoke as the TARDIS landed and Rose ran out to see her mother. The Doctor and Allyson followed slowly her out. They walk out to see Rose clinging to her mother who gave a worried look at the Doctor. "What's wrong? Where did you go? Who's she?" The Doctor looked down at his feet.

"Far away. That was… far away."

"Where's Mickey?"

"He's gone home." The Doctor stands and watches the two women.

A little while later Rose and Jackie had gone to sleep. The Doctor and Allyson were still up, sitting in silence on the couch. "_You want to know about my family?"_ He looked over at her and saw she was biting her lip, staring off into nothing. Her gaze snapped back at his.

"_More than anything."_ She told him, she wanted to know more about him. She didn't want him to feel alone. He shouldn't ever feel alone. After all he's ever done for the universe, he should never feel anything bad. She wanted to see him happy.

"_I was a father."_ He started, his eyes had a far-away look to them as he remembered his family. "_I was joined to a lovely woman. She was an Academic, it's this program we can enter after schooling. But she was brilliant. We met after I graduated, went on a couple of outings before we knew it we went through the Joining. It's the Time Lord version of marriage. We were together for some time. When she became heavy with child, I was the happiest man in the world. It was all I wanted. A child. To call my own."_ His eyes became glassy with tears. "_She went into labor__…__but there were complications. They had to do a C-section to get the baby, but she started to bleed out__.__"_ A tear ran down his cheek. "She died." He said out-loud. His voice trembling.

"_Your child?"_ Allyson asked, almost afraid of the answer. She had a feeling it was going to be terrible.

"_It was a baby boy, what I always wanted. They rushed him out of the room before I could see him. He wasn't breathing.. he – he didn't make it_." More tears started to stream down as the memories ripped open the hole left in his hearts. Allyson cringed. The hurt from losing them was so strong that it transmitting across to her. It felt like a butter knife was carving out her heart. Tears built up in her eyes as she felt his pain.

"_I'm sorry._" She whispered in his mind, he shook his head before putting it in his hands. Allyson moved over on the couch and wrapped her arms around him. "_I'm so sorry."_ He grabbed her and started to cry into her shoulder silently. She now understood why he refused to be with humans. He didn't want to have to relive this pain again and again. "_Tell me of the happy times."_ She asked after he calmed down. He frowned slightly.

"_I can't think of any."_

"_Tell me when you met your wife."_ He smiled slightly and pulled away from her.

"_It was after my graduation celebration. Me and a couple of friends went out to celebrate. One of them brought their girl friend at the time. When we first met, and when I first looked into her green eyes. I was lost. We just clicked. We continued to hang out and talk, eventually she broke up with him and I took a shot." _He smiled and let out a little laugh. "_Well, technically she asked me first. I was to cowardly to even try. I kept asking her to help me fix little things just so I could be close to her. I think she knew the whole time, she always had a knowing smile when she showed up. One time she showed up and helped me fix my toaster, I purposely put some dirty socks in it. I told her what was wrong with it and she flipped out on me.__"_He laughed. "_She told me to stop breaking everything in my house and just ask her out already." _She smiled at him, seeing it in his mind. She reached up and whipped the tears off his face. He smiled at her. "_You're the first I've ever told this too."_

"_Thank you for telling me."_ She laughed lightly. "_First memory I get back I'll tell you." _She grabbed his hand comfortingly. "_I don't want you to have to face the world alone. You always have me and Rose._" He smiled at her, knowing eventually he'd have to leave them behind, just like all his other companions.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Hey! Doctor/Allyson time! Yay! She still doesn't remember diddly squat. However; she has superior intelligence. How can that be if she doesn't remember anything? How did she know how to use the power cell to fry the Cybermen? And FINALLY we confront Mickey about his feelings dealing with Allyson. By the way, in the last story there was a video game reference. If anyone catches it I'll answer a question you have.. truthfully. =]

Hopefully this one was a lot more interesting than the last one. Nothing really happened in the Rise of the Cybermen. =\ Anywhoo.

Tatty-bye, loves!


	7. Chapter 7: Idiot's Lantern

**Chapter 7: The Idiot's Lantern**

The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson were all getting changed into 1950's clothing. Rose twirls around in the dressing room in her pink heels, a pink dress, and a jean jacket. Allyson smiled at her, thinking that she looked amazing, and was jealous. She still hadn't gained back much of her weight, her ribs still stuck out unhealthily. It's hard to gain weight while running constantly. "What do ya think?" Rose smiled at her.

"_Beautiful. I wish I could look that good in something."_ Allyson was still wearing a robe that she had put on since she got out of the shower. Rose bit her tongue and started flipping through the clothing. She pulled out a black dress with white polka dots and a red belt and forced Allyson into it. Rose then began to work on Allyson's hair, pulling half of it up into a messy bun but left some lose strands free to hang around her face. She put a ornate flower clip into her bun for decoration. Rose stood back and looked at Allyson in admiration.

"We still have make-up to do!" She smiled and dragged Allyson over to a small desk covered with make-up. Rose quickly got to work.

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and looked around. "I thought we'd be going for the Vegas era, you know- the white flares and the…" She growls seductively at the Doctor, "chest hair." The Doctor pokes his head out of the door, his hair gelled back, teddy-boy style.

"You are kidding, aren't you? You wanna see Elvis, you go in the late 50's! The time before burgers." He pulled his head back inside the TARDIS. "When they called him 'the Pelvis' and he still had a waist." Rose laughs. "What's more, you see him in style!" Rose looks over at the TARDIS as she hears an engine roar to life, only to see the Doctor riding out of the TARDIS on a blue moped. Rose laughs at the Doctor, seeing that he has on a large pair of sunglasses and a white helmet. "You goin' my way, doll?" He said in an Elvis-style expression and voice. Rose put on a pair of pink sunglasses.

"Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?" She said in an American accent, walking over to the moped. "Straight from the fridge, man!" The Doctor smiled widely.

"Hey, you speak the lingo!" He tosses her a pink version of his helmet. "Where's Allyson?" He looked back at the TARDIS, thinking that maybe she stepped out and they hadn't heard her. Rose was about to speak when Allyson stepped out of the TARDIS, pulling with her a red moped. She walked over to them as Rose put on her helmet.

"_I had to make pockets for my sonic._" She reached into her dress and pulled out the insides of the pockets she made relatively quickly.

"Yeah, well… me, mum, Cliff Richard movies every Bank Holiday Monday." Rose told him, sitting on the moped but he continues to stare at Allyson. He quickly pulls himself out of it before either of them noticed.

"Ah, Cliff! I knew your mother'd be a Cliff fan." The Doctor smiled with an 'I knew it!' look. Allyson hops on her moped and starts it up.

"So, where we off to?" Rose asked over the noise of the engines as they drive down the street.

"Ed Sullivan TV Studios, Elvis did 'Hound Dog' on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it."

"And that'll be TV studios in, what – New York?" The Doctor smiled back at her.

"That's the one!" A London bus drives past them at the end of the street, making the Doctor and Allyson stop. They all look around, spotting Union flags strung about everywhere. Rose and Allyson laugh.

"Digging that New York vibe!"

"Well… this COULD still be New York, I mean this looks very New York to me… sort of… Londony New York, mind…" Allyson raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. This was NOT New York, she could feel it.

"What are all the flags for?" Rose looked at the Doctor skeptically. He looked about, opening and closing his mouth. He was attempting to put together an excuse but couldn't come up with any.

"Well," he finally managed, "I guess we'll have to go find out!" He started down the road again still looking around confused. All of the buildings had flags strung about them and TV antennas. They park their mopeds out of sight and begin to walk around, trying to figure out what was going on. They walk past a man who was digging around in the back of his van that said 'Magpie Electrics'.

"There you go, sir." The man turned and watched to boys carry a television into a house. The house owner stood close by, watching them. "All wired up for the great occasion." The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson hear him and stop.

"The great occasion? What d'you mean?" The Doctor asked, none to subtly.

"Where've you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course." The man looked at him astonished that someone would even have to ask.

"What Coronation's that, then?" He asked, obvious to the incredulous look he received from the man.

"What d'you mean? THE Coronation." The Doctor gives the man a blank look and turns to Rose, hoping she could help him. Allyson bit back a laugh, finding this amusing.

"The Queen's." Rose looked at him like it was obvious. "Queen Elizabeth!"

"Oh!" It clicked and he smiled, finally getting it. "Oh, is this 1953?"

"Last time I looked." The man smiled as well, his confusion lost. "Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best." He smiled at them.

"Look at all the TV aerials." Rose looked at the chimneys and on nearly every single one was an antenna. "Looks like everyone's got one. That's weird, my nan said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house." The Doctor looked around too, as if just noticing it as well.

"Not round here, love. Magpie's Marvellous Tellies, only 5 quid a box." The Doctor raised an eyebrow at this. That was cheap. He wondered out into the street, looking at all houses a suspicion arising within his mind and a troubled look on his face. He quickly covers it with a smile and way to much energy.

"Oh bu this is a BRILLIANT year! Classic! Technicolor, Everest climbed, everything off the ration-" He changes to an English accent. "The Nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future!" Rose and Allyson laugh at his silliness, when a woman's scream attracts their attention.

"Someone help me, please! Ted!" A woman ran out of her house after two guys who were pulling along another man with a blanket covering him. The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson all rush over, wanting to find out what was going on. "Leave him alone, it's my husband!" She cried.

"What's going on?" The Doctor demanded as the blanketed man was shoved into the back seat of a black car. A boy runs out of his house and over to them, angry.

"Oi, what are you doing?!" He screamed. One of the suited men walked up to the Doctor.

"Police business, now get out of the way, sir!" He ordered. Rose walked over to the boy, concern on her face.

"Who did they take, do you know him?" She asked him.

"Must be Mr, Gallagher..." He answered still distracted by the men and the car. Allyson took in every detail of the car, remembering the plates, make, and model. The car takes off, leaving them all hanging without answers and a crying Mrs, Gallagher. "It's happening all over the place. They're turning into monsters.." A man and a woman step out of the house that the boy came from and start screaming at him to get inside and to hush. "Sorry, I'd better do as he says.." He hangs his head as he walks back into the house and his parents slam the door close. The Doctor and Allyson rush over to where they parked their moped and started them up.

"All aboard!" Rose hopped on the back while Allyson gunned it, following after the black car. It swerved around cars and pedestrians as it tried to lose Allyson and the Doctor. However, being on moped's makes you a little more agile and they easily keep up. The car hurtles around a corner and they lose sight of it. They drive around it but stop, bewildered. The car was gone and all that was there were two wooden carts with two men sweeping the road. "Lost 'em!" He shouted, bemused. "How'd they get away from us?" Allyson looked at the scene in front of her, something not sitting right with her.

"Surprised they didn't turn back and arrest you for reckless driving, have you actually PASSED your test?!" Rose released her death grip on his waist that she need just keep herself on the moped. The Doctor continued to stare at the dead end, not listening to Rose.

"Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia!" The Doctor thought out loud, his face scrunching up.

"Monsters, that boy said..." The Doctor and Allyson turn to face her. "Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours."

"_Agreed."_ Allyson chimed.

"That's what I like about you two. The domestic approach." He said sweetly. Rose smiles at him, taken back.

"Thank you.." She pauses, realizing what the Doctor was saying. "Hold on, was that an insult?!" The Doctor kicked the moped to life and was about to zoom off when Rose jumped off the back. He looked back at her, hurt in his eyes, as she climbed on the back of Allyson's moped. Allyson started her moped and drove past the Doctor, neither girl even glanced at him.

"Hey!" He called as he followed them.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

They walk up to the door and ring the door bell a few times until the man from before answers. The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson all have on cheesy grins. "Hiiiiiii!" The Doctor and Rose say adorably.

"Who are you, then?" The man looks at them suspiciously, as the boy from before lurks in the background.

"Let's see then, judging by the look of you - family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war - therefore, I represent Queen and country!" The Doctor quickly flashes him his psychic paper. "Just doing a little check of Her Majesty's forthcoming subjects for the great day. Don't mind if I come in? Nah, didn't think you did, thank you!" The Doctor barges past the man and into the house, Rose and Allyson following. They walk into the living room and look around. A woman stood silently, waiting to be addressed. "Not bad, very nice! Very well kept! I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs...?"

"Connolly." She answered rather timidly.

"Now then Rita, I can handle this. This gentleman's a proper representative!" Allyson frowns at Rita's terrified expression and glares at Mr, Connolly. The Doctor gives Rita a reassuring wink as Rose perches herself on the arm of a chair in the room and Allyson stands beside her. "Don't mind the wife, she rattles on a bit."

"Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more." The Doctor told him curtly. Mr, Connolly and his son looked shocked at the Doctor. But he continues, unfazed. "I'm not convinced you're doing your patriotic duty." He looks around at the flags laying about in the room, not yet put up. "Nice flags. Why are they not flying?" The Doctor looks at Mr, Connolly, who looks very nervous.

"There we are Rita, I told you - get them up, Queen and country!" The Doctor gives him a skeptical look and walks over to Mr, Connolly.

"I'm sorry -" Rita moves to put up the flags.

"Get it done! Do it now." Mr, Connolly ordered.

"Hold on a minute -" The Doctor tried.

"Like the gentleman says -"

"Hold on a minute. You've got hands, Mr, Connolly. Two big hands! Why is that your wife's job?" The Doctor asked, his hands on his hips.

"It's housework, innit?"

"And that's a woman's job?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Course it is!"

"Mr, Connolly, what gender is the Queen?" Mr, Connolly hesitated, growing defensive.

"She's a female."

"And are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?" A small smile grows on the boys face as he watches the Doctor humiliate his father. Mr, Connolly nods, giving in to the Doctor. Rita also has a small smile on her face, heartened to see him humiliated as well.

"No! Not at all!" He said getting flustered. The Doctor grabs the string of flags on the table and shoves them into Mr, Connolly's hands, giving him an insistent stare.

"Then get busy." He said flatly.

"Right, yes sir." Mr, Connolly gets to work hanging the flags, rather poorly. Allyson smirked, loving that the Doctor put him in his place. "You'll be proud of us, sir! We'll have Union Jacks left, right and center!" He faked enthusiasm but no one was fooled. Rose rises suddenly, her hands on her hips.

"'Scuse me, Mr, Connolly, hang on a minute! Union Jacks?" He paused to look back at her.

"Yes, that's right, isn't it?"

"That's the Union Flag. It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea." Mr, Connolly instantly tries to humble himself.

"Oh...oh, I'm sorry, I do apologize!" Rose smiles widely as he resumes to hang up the flags in a hurry.

"Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man. Now get to it!" She snapped at him. He hastily hangs the flags along the wall as Rose give the Doctor a coy smile. Her and the Doctor both sit on the sofa, situating themselves with rather large grins on their faces.

"Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure!" The Doctor leaned closer to Rose and whispered in her ear. "Union Flag?"

"Mum went out with a sailor." She whispered back as Allyson continued to stand there.

"Oohohohoo! I bet she did!" He spoke up so the rest could hear him again. "Anyway, I'm the Doctor, this is Rose, and this is Allyson, and you are?" He introduces them all, pointing to the girls respectfully. He looks over at the boy, wanting him to introduce himself. The boy looks taken back by the fact that he'd been noticed, which Allyson could probably guess didn't happen often.

"Tommy." He stammered. The Doctor and Rose shuffled over so that there was space between the two.

"Well, sit yourself down, Tommy." The Doctor patted the spot between him and Rose. He pointed to the chair that sat close to the sofa, motioning for Rita to sit as well. She timidly sat down and they all watched the television. "Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?" He smiled over at Tommy.

"Yeah, I think it's brilliant!" He laughed slightly.

"Good man!" The Doctor patted him on the shoulder as they all continued to watch a programme about fossils and dinosaurs. They sit in silence for a while before the Doctor leans back to check on Eddie, who was still hanging up flags, still rather poorly. "Keep working Mr, C!" The Doctor said cheerfully. He quickly turned back around, dropping the cheery charade and began to talk quietly so Eddie didn't hear. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" Rita and Tommy shift uncomfortably in their seats, reluctant to say anything.

"Did you say you were a doctor?" Rita asked after a while.

"Yes I am."

"Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?" Rita started to beg, Allyson looked over at Eddie as he stops hanging flags.

"Now then Rita, I don't think the gentleman needs to know..." Eddie interrupted.

"No, the gentleman does!" The Doctor flashed him a quick glare before returning his gaze on Rita, who has begun to cry.

"Tell us what's wrong, and we can help." Rose said. Rita's sobs grow louder and she shakes her head, thinking it's hopeless. Rose walks over and wraps a comforting arm around her, the Doctor and Allyson watch with concerned frowns. "I'm sorry, come on, come on.." Rose rocked her some, trying to settle Rita down.

"Hold on a minute! Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house!" Eddie yelled, getting angry. The Doctor props his head on his forearm and balled fist, trying to restrain himself and appear calm, but not really succeeding. Allyson bit her lip to keep herself from lashing out at him as she crossed her arms. "What the - what the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor! You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!"

"All the people are being bundled into -" The Doctor started scathingly, but Eddie interrupted him.

"I am talking!" He screamed. The Doctor stands, anger fueling him as he gets into Eddie's face.

"And I'm not listening!" He raised his voice, higher than Eddie's as he looms over the man. "Now you, Mr, Connolly, are staring into a deep, dark PIT of trouble if you don't let me help." The three Connolly's look shaken by the Doctor's outburst of anger. Rose continues to try and comfort Rita. "So I'm ordering you - SIR! - to tell me what's going on!" Eddie opens his mouth as if to say something, when he's cut off by thumping. Everyone's eyes roll up at the ceiling, the noise was coming from upstairs.

"She won't stop." Fear started to edge into Eddie's voice as the banging continues. "She never stops."

"We started hearing stories." Tommy speaks up, making everyone to focus on him. "All round the place. People who've...changed." The Doctor turns to face Tommy, giving him his full attention. Rita looks down, embarrassed. "Families keeping it secret 'cause they were scared. The police started finding out. We don't know how, no one does. They just... turn up, come to the door and take 'em. Any time of the day or night." The Doctor has a very disapproving look on his face when Tommy finishes.

"Show me."

Tommy leads them all to a room upstairs. They came to a door that Tommy unlocked before peeking in, cautiously. "Gran? It's Tommy." He said gently, as if not to startle or scare her. He swings the door open farther and light falls into the dark room. "It's all right Gran, I've brought help." A figure stands by the window and it begins to slowly walk towards them. Tommy steps farther inside the room and turns on the light. It reveals his grandmother, without a face. All of her feature's were gone, all that was left was a smooth plane where her face would be. Rose gulps, Allyson grabs Rose's arm and the Doctor simply stares at the woman, with a furrowed brow. He continues to stare at the blank face, as everyone else huddles by the doorway.

"Her face is completely gone." He was fascinated. It was tragic yes, but fascinating none the less. He pulls out his sonic and quickly does a once-over scan on Tommy's grandmother. Rose and Allyson were both uneasy about the sight. "Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost complete neural shutdown, she's ticking over, like her brain has been...wiped clean." He puts the screwdriver away but still continues to examine her face.

"What're we gonna do, Doctor? We can't even feed her!" Tommy asked, desperate. A loud crash downstairs caught their attention.

"We've got company..." Rose said, looking down the hall.

"It's them, they've come for her!" Rita started to cry. Eddie stood out in the hall, the only one who seems unfazed.

"What was she doing before this happened? Where was she?" The Doctor asked, now in a hurry. Rita looks hesitant as they hear the policemen climb the stairs. "Tell me, quickly, think!"

"I can't think! She doesn't leave the house! She was just -" Tommy was cut of by a big burly policeman and some accompanying officers. The Doctor stands tall and tries to buy time.

"Hold on a minute! There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One, -" The burly man punches the Doctor in the face, knocking him unconscious as he falls to the floor.

"Doctor!" Rose screams as she runs over to the Doctor. The Police officers take it as an opportunity to throw a blanket over Tommy's grandmother. Allyson quickly scan's the room, trying to think of something to delay the men or to stop them completely. But she couldn't think of anything. Her mind was drawing blank, the unconscious Doctor was keeping her mind from working properly. She ran over to Rose who was currently knelled down, trying to slap the Doctor awake.

"Leave her alone!" Rita cried at the police men who were now ushering her mother down the stairs. A man push Rita aside, leaving Tommy to catch her. Eddie started to push the men away, trying to get them out of his house, the quicker the better. Everyone, aside for Rose and Allyson, run down the stairs, still screaming about what was happening. Rose continued to slap the Doctor, trying to wake him.

"Doctor! Doctor!" She kept yelling at him. Allyson looks around the room until her eyes land on a coffee table and sitting on top of it was a glass of water. She quickly rushes over and grabs it before dumping the cold water on the Doctor's face, careful not to get Rose wet. But he still remained out cold.

"_Doctor wake up!"_ She tried to yell in his mind, but her words seem to echo back to her. Rose was still slapping him on his cheeks when suddenly he sits up and acts as if nothing had happened.

"Ah, hell of a right hook! Have to watch out for that!" He stands up and wipes his face. His brows furrowed. "Why am I wet?" He looked over at Rose but she just pointed to Allyson who started to shove the Doctor out of the room.

"_No time! Follow them!"_ He runs down the stairs, Allyson directly behind him since she chose to wear flats instead of heels like Rose. Eddie was standing in the doorway, restraining Rita and Tommy.

"Don't fight it, back inside!" He yelled at them, angry that they were disobeying his word. The Doctor quickly shoved past him and ran to his moped. The police car races away.

"Rose, come on!"

"Get back inside!" Eddie yelled. Allyson struggled to push by him, he being to big for her. Rose runs down the stairs but pauses at the entrance of the living room, something caught her attention. Red, buzzing tendrils of electricity coming out of the television. She walks closer to investigate.

"But Dad, they took her!" Tommy tried to reason with his father, but his words falling on deaf ears.

"Go back inside, don't fight it..." Allyson wormed her way past them all and out of the house.

"Rose, we're gonna lose them again!" The Doctor called for her as he put on his helmet. Allyson runs out and jumps on the back, grabbing Rose's helmet and fastening it to her head.

"_Go!"_ The Doctor gives one last look back at the house before gunning it. He follows after the car, going the same route as last time. The car rounds the corner and disappears again. The Doctor stopped and looked at the dead end. Allyson frowned. It was the same two workmen sweeping the road again. The Doctor quickly works out what was going on and smiles.

"Oh, very good! Very good!" He turns around and parks the moped on the sidewalk. He and Allyson get off to search for another entrance to the building. Allyson caught sight of a metal gate and broke the lock with her sonic. She slips in, the Doctor following her after checking to make sure no one was following them.

They walk into a room, making sure to stay out of sight of any police officers. They watch two men locking some cage-like gates and walk away. Allyson surveys the area before stepping out and walking over to the cages. Inside were dozens of people. He broke the lock with his sonic and walks in, Allyson following, they were all faceless. The faceless stood only able to clench and unclench their fists as they shuffle towards them, effectively trapping them against the side of the cage. Bright lights flare into the cage. The Doctor and Allyson turn to try and see what it is, which happens to be two policemen from before standing in front of the headlamps of their car. "Stay where you are!" One of them shouted.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"Start from the beginning, tell me everything you know." A man with a receding hairline watched them as the Doctor and Allyson sat on the other side of the desk. Allyson stood behind the Doctor, watching silently as always. They were in a rather good sized office some where in the warehouse they'd broken into.

"Well, for starters.." He began, taking it seriously. "I know you can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet." Allyson gave the Doctor a confused look. The other police officer non-nonchalantly tried to wrap his fingers around his elbow, curious if the Doctor was telling the truth or not. Allyson resisted the urge she felt, she knew she probably could. Her arms had some tone to them but still had almost nothing to them and she had rather long thin fingers. The first detective pointed a reprimanding finger at the Doctor.

"Don't get clever with me. You were there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. Now, you're connected with this. Make no mistake."

"Well, the thing IS, Detective Inspector Bishop -"

"How do you know my name?" The Doctor gives him an apologetic look.

"It's... written inside your collar." He said rather awkwardly. Bishop's hand immediately snaps up to his collar and adjusts his tie. "Bless you mum. But, I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting. Are you?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow. Bishop shifted his weight, feeling cornered.

"I'm doing everything in my power."

"All you're doing is grabbing those faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can. Don't tell me - orders from above, hmm? Coronation Day... the eyes of the world are on London Town... so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight." The Doctor begins to fiddle with the chair, rotating side to side, completely relaxed. Bishop looked aggravated at the Doctor's casualness and at the Doctor's knowledge of their activities.

"The nation has an imagine to maintain." He said regally.

"Doesn't it drive you mad?" The Doctor began, incredulous. "Doing nothing? Don't you wanna get out there and investigate?" Bishop looked down at his shoes.

"Course I do. But..." He sits down. It seems the only person who had any idea what was going on was this Doctor person. "With all the crowds expected, we haven't got the man-power. Even if we did...this is.. beyond anything we've ever seen." He hung his head helplessly. "I just don't know anymore. 20 years on the force..." The Doctor leans forward in the chair, listening carefully to the man's words. ".. I don't' even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on."

"Well.. that could change." Bishop looked up at the Doctor, bewildered.

"How?" The Doctor stands tall and looks down at Bishop.

"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know."

The Doctor, Allyson and Bishop stand looking down at a large map. Markers indicating where they've found the faceless people. "We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. heads just...blank." The Doctor looks at the map, with his glasses on, but sees nothing.

"Is there any sort of pattern?" He picks up a file and begins to flips through it rather quickly.

"Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the City. Men, women, kids... grannies... the only REAL lead is there's been quite a large number in -"

"Florizel Street." The Doctor cut in. A knock on the door sounds. They all look up as another police man enters.

"Found another one, sir." A man in a suit ushers in another blanket clad person. Allyson immediately sees the pink skirt and shoes. Tears prick her eyes, she glances at the Doctor.

"Oh, er - good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor..." The Doctor drops the files and slowly walks toward the blanket covered person. He didn't want to believe it to be true. "Take a good look. See what you can deduce." He pulls the blanket off Rose's head. The Doctor and Allyson's eyes widen in horror as Rose stands there, faceless. They both approach her.

"Rose." The Doctor breathed. Allyson gripped his hand, hoping to provide some comfort.

"Do you know her?" Bishop looked back and forth between the blonde and the Doctor.

"Know her? She..." He trailed off, unable to finish as he walks up close to her. Allyson and the Doctor stare at Rose's featureless face, shock still keeping them from fully reacting.

"They found her in the street, apparently, over at Master Square, abandoned." The policeman reported to Bishop, who looked confused.

"That's unusual, that's the first one out in the open. Heaven help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day, we'll have Torchwood on our back, make no mistake." The Doctor gazes at Rose, heartbroken. Anger flared up within him, his grip on Allyson's hand tightened, unable to take his eyes off Rose.

"They did what?" His voice was cold as ice.

"I'm sorry?" Bishop asked, not understanding what the Doctor meant.

"They left her where?" He forced himself to keep his voice calm as to not scare them or Allyson.

"Just... in the street." Bishop was confused as to why that bothered the Doctor. Allyson reached up and gently ran a finger down Rose's cheek as tears stream down her own cheeks.

"In the street. They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things... simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?" An eerie calm radiated from the Doctor, as Allyson's own anger sparked to life. He finally tears his eyes from Rose's face and take's his glasses off, turning to the two men, releasing Allyson's hand.

"No.." Bishop said hesitantly, starting to fear why.

"Because NOW, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Come on!" He turns to grab Allyson's hand but finds she's already out the door, her feet stomping against the concrete as she storms out of the building. The Doctor and Bishop quickly follow and step out into the sunlight as they leave the building.

"The big day dawns..." Bishop said looking up at the sky. The Doctor continues on, no caring if the world was ending. Something hurt Rose and he was not happy.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Tommy opens the door and finds Allyson, the Doctor, and Bishop standing there. "Tommy, talk to us." The Doctor said flatly, but not very harsh. He didn't want to scare the boy. Tommy steps outside and closes the door behind him. "I need to know exactly what happened inside your house." Tommy opened his mouth to answer with the door swung open violently.

"What the blazes do you think you're doing?" Eddie glares at Tommy.

"I wanna help, dad."

"Mr, Connolly..." The Doctor warned, he was not in the mood for him.

"Shut your face, you. Whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves." He turns to Tommy. "Listen you little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain." He returns to the Doctor, Allyson and Bishop. "People round here respect me. It MATTERS what people THINK." Allyson steps forward and grabs Eddie's wrist. He tries to jerk back but finds her hand is like a vice grip and he can't escape.

"_Now you listen here, __**sir. **__We are the ONLY one's who could possibly help you and you're just going to turn us away and treat your family like crap?! I will NOT stand for that! Tommy is plenty old enough to understand what his happening. If anything he has a better grip of what's going on then you do. I know full well who turned all of those people into the police. How could you do that to your mother-in-law? You cold heartless bastard!"_ She glared at him. He started to sweat, it felt as if her glare was piercing his soul. "_You talk about respect and how it matters what people think of you. Well I'll tell you what. It matters what WE think of YOU."_ She indicated towards herself and the Doctor. "_We could end you before you even started boy! If you want respect then you start talking. Right. __**Now.**_" Allyson let go of his hand, an angry red mark the only evidence that she had touched him. Eddie blinked confused. He'd just heard her speak, but she wasn't talking. The anger and malice in her voice seemed real enough. He shook his head, his anger promptly returning.

"How DARE you! I fought a war just so mouthy little scum like you could insult me?!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Tommy cut in, though he hadn't heard her speech. The Doctor continued to give Eddie a hard stare. "You fought AGAINST fascism, remember? People telling you how to live - who you could be friends with - who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could DO what we want. SAY what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even gran. All to protect your precious reputation." Rita stepped out of the door way, having heard the last bit.

"Eddie.. is that true?" He faced his wife, ready to defend his position.

"I did it for US, Rita! She was FILTHY. A filthy, disgusting THING." Rita looked at him in shock.

"She's my mother. All the others - you informed on all the people in our street - our friends."

"I had to!" He throws up his arms in defeat. "I did the right thing!"

"The right thing for us.. or for you, Eddie?" Eddie stares at her, shocked. Rita turns to Tommy. "You go, Tommy. You go with the Doctor and Allyson, do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it weren't my mother!" Close to tears she turns and retreats back inside, slamming the door in Eddie's face. The Doctor softens his gaze as he looks at Tommy.

"Tommy?" Tommy follows the Doctor, Allyson, and Bishop down the street, leaving Eddie locked outside his own house. The streets bustle with people who are preparing for a street party. The four of them walk along. "Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed." The Doctor prompted.

"She was just watching the telly." He shrugged, nothing weird about it. Realization struck the Doctor.

"Rose said it. She guessed it straight away, of COURSE she did." He looked up at the antenna. "All those aerials in one little street - how come?"

"Bloke up the road, Mr, Magpie, he's selling them cheap." Without waiting for Tommy to finish his sentence, the Doctor and Allyson were running down the street, heading for Mr, Magpie's.

"Is he, now?" Bishop asked.

"Come on!" The Doctor yelled back at them. He runs up to Mr, Magpie's shop door and twists the handle, but finds it locked. Allyson pushed him aside before kicking the door in. The Doctor looked at her oddly. "Where'd you learn that?"

"_Telly, seemed fitting._"

"Hey, you can't do that -" The Doctor and Allyson ignore him and stride inside. They walk up to the counter.

"Shop?" The Doctor yells. The Doctor presses the bell repeatedly. "If you're here, come out and talk to me! MAGPIE?"

"Maybe he's out." Tommy thought.

"Looks like it.." Allyson glared at the back room, not believing it one bit. The Doctor walks around the counter and starts rifling through drawers until he finds a device that looks like a portable television. "Oh, hello... this isn't right. This is very much not right." The technology was way out of time. He quickly licks it and Tommy and Bishop looked at him, disgusted. "Tastes like iron. Bakelite." He sets it down on the counter. "Put together with human hands, yes, but the design itself.." He pulls out his sonic and scans it. "Oh, beautiful work. That is so simple." Bishop walked forward and looked at the device amazed.

"That's incredible. It's like a television, but portable. A portable television!" The Doctor scans the room with his sonic, the televisions on the wall by the door turned on to static.

"It's not the only power source in this room.." The sonic whirrs and the static fades away to show faces on each of the screens. The faces of those who had them stolen. All of them looking terrified and shouting for help. The group walked up to the televisions looking at all the faces. Tommy finds his grandmother's face.

"Gran?" He looks at it horrified. The Doctor and Allyson immediately started looking for Rose's. They find her on one of the bottom screens. She was repeatedly mouthing 'Doctor! Allyson!'. They kneel down and touch the screen, looking sad.

"We're on our way." He told her. Just then Magpie entered from the back of the shop.

"What do you think you're doing?" He demanded. Allyson stormed up to him and grabbed his collar, forcing him up against the wall. Magpie looks down at her terrified that such a small girl had so much power.

"We want our friend restored and I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician," the Doctor pointed to the portable television, "so tell me, who's really in charge here?" The Doctor demanded, his voice booming with rage. Magpie flinches at the Doctor's anger.

"Yoohoo! I think that must be me." A female voice spoke up behind them. The Doctor turned and spotted a female in the center television, he looked at her surprised. "Ooh, this one's smart as paint." The Doctor stalks up to the screen, Allyson refusing to let go of Magpie.

"Is she talking to us?" Bishop asked the Doctor.

"Sorry gentlemen and lady, I'm... I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new...friend." Magpie introduced them. The lady smiled.

"Jolly nice to meet you."

"Oh my God, it's her, that woman off the telly." Bishop looked shocked at the screen.

"No, it's just using her image." The Doctor told him.

"What...what are you?" Tommy asked the lady.

"I'm the Wire, and I will gobble you up, pretty boy. Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow-kind denied me." Gradually the screen gains color.

"Good Lord - color television!" Bishop shouted astonished.

"So your own people tried to stop you?"

"They executed me. But I escaped - in this form - and fled across this stars."

"And now you're trapped in the television." The Doctor guessed. The smirk faded from the Wire's face and with it the color.

"Not for much longer."

"Is this what got my gran?" Tommy asked the Doctor.

"Yes, Tommy. It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself like a great overfed pig. Taking people's faces, their essences, it stuffs itself."

"And you let her do it, Magpie." Bishop turned to Magpie, appalled.

"I had to!" He defended, still in Allyson's grip. "She allowed me my face! She's promised to release me at the time of manifestation."

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked scared.

"The appointed time - my crowning glory." The Wire hinted.

"Doctor - the coronation!" Bishop concluded.

"For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set." The Doctor walks towards the Wire, gloating. "But you're not strong enough yet, are you? You can't do it all from here. That's why you need this!" He shows her the portable television. "You need something more powerful! This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver." He frowned, not liking it at all.

"What a clever thing you are! But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the coronation. Believe me - you'll be glued to the screen." The Wire smirked as red sparks emitted form the screen and attached itself to the Doctor's, Tommy's, and Bishop's faces. Allyson was to far from the screen to be effected.

"Doctor!" Tommy and Bishop called.

"Hungry! Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah! This one is tasty. Oh! I'll have lashings of him! Delicious! Ah!" Allyson quickly drops Magpie and runs over to the screen with the bell from the counter. She started smashing screens, trying to free them. A red bold strikes the portable television box, transferring the Wire to it. "The box, Magpie! The box!" Magpie runs out and grabs the box. He dashes out of his shop. "Conduct me to my victory, Magpie." She told him with a smirk.

Allyson finished smashing the glasses but she was too late for Bishop. The Doctor sat up and started calling for Tommy. "Tommy, wake up! Tommy! Come on!"

"What happened?" Tommy asked groggily.

"Where's Magpie?" The Doctor looked at Allyson.

"_He ran off with the Wire."_ They ran outside the shop to see his van gone.

"We don't even know where to start looking - it's too late." Tommy threw his hands up, defeated.

"It's never too late, as a wise person once said - Kylie I think... But the Wire's got a big plan... so it'll need... yes, yes, yes, it's got to harness half the population... millions and millions of people... and where are we?" The Doctor rambled on as he paced back and forth, tugging at his hair.

"Muswell Hill."

"Muswell Hill - Muswell Hill! Which means..." He spun around until he spotted a large building on the horizon. "Alexandra Palace - biggest TV transmitter in North London! Ohh! That's why they chose this place! Tommy? Allyson?" He looked at them each.

"What are you going to do?" Tommy looked completely lost.

"We're going shopping." The Doctor grinned and dashed inside the shop.

Tommy stood by the counter as Allyson and the Doctor zipped around gathering equipment. Tommy looks down at the growing pile. Allyson puts one more item in the pile before grabbing some to carry. The Doctor and Tommy taking some as well. They run out onto the streets, all of them loaded with random bits of equipment "Let's go!" The Doctor ran down the street as fast as he could, Allyson and Tommy right behind him. As they run the Doctor and Allyson begin to plug random devices into some other ones. Tommy looks up when they reach the Palace and notices Magpie on the pylon.

"There!" He nodded up at the pylon. The Doctor and Allyson looked up to see Magpie climbing the tower.

"Come on!" They go to run past a guard but he steps in front of them.

"Woah, woah, woah! Where do you think -" Allyson reached into the Doctor's pocket and pulls out the psychic paper and flashes it at the man. "Oh! I'm sorry sir! Ma'am! Shouldn't you be at the coronation?" They rush past the man.

"They're saving us a seat." The Doctor called back as the round a corner.

"Who did he think you were?" The Doctor glanced at the paper in Allyson's hand.

"King of Belgium and his wife, apparently."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Allyson dashes around gathering the equipment that the Doctor needed. Tommy stands in front of a video machine and television screen. The Doctor begins to attach some pieces together as he explains what he wants Tommy to do. "Keep it switched on. Don't let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?" Tommy nodded, understanding."Allyson's going to stay down here to help you if you need it. She talks through her mind so get scared or anything. She wont hurt you." Allyson frowned, she wanted to climb the tower and give the Wire a piece of her mind. The Doctor grabbed shoulders and looked her in the eye, some of his hair falling in his face. "No. I can't have you climb that. You're still not completely recovered from New New York. Plus, I've already lost Rose. I can't lose you too." Allyson searched his eyes for a moment, seeing serenity and concern. She bit her lip and nodded. He smiled at her before running back outside with a string of magnetic recording tape following him from a reel attached to his waist.

He runs up the metal stairs that lead to the transmitter, that was currently jumping with red electricity, going after Magpie. "You'll get yourself killed up there! Your Majesty!" The guard shouts as the Doctor continues to climb up the transmitter getting closer to Magpie. He glanced up and noticed the red electricity grabbing Magpie's face.

"Oh! Feast! Feasting! The Wire is feasting!" He could hear her cheer loudly.

"It's too late! It's too late for all of us!" Magpie shouted down at the Doctor.

"I shall consume you...Doctor." Some sparks fly up and grab the Doctor's face and he cries out in pain.

"I won't let you do this, Magpie!" He shouts over the noise of the red sparks.

"Help me Doctor! It burns! It took my face - my soul!" Magpie cried out.

"You cannot stop the Wire. Soon I shall become manifest." The Wire smiles and blasts the Doctor in the face again with the electricity.

"No more of this! You promised me peace!" Magpie begged.

"And peace you shall have." Red electricity courses around Magpie before he was blown to particles. The Wire laughs as he perished. The Doctor finally reaches the top of the pylon and stretches out to grab the portable television, only to be zapped by the same red sparks.

"Been burning the candle at both ends? You've overextended yourself missus. You shouldn't have had a crack at poor Magpie there." He reaches over and grabs the TV, ignoring the sparks striking him on his feet. "Rubber souls! Swear by them!" He grins at her as he inserted a switch in the side of the TV but nothing happens. The Wire smirks.

"Oh dear! Has our little plan gone horribly wrong, Doctor?" She laughs a the Doctor's horrified face.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Allyson stood by the corner of the building, watching the Doctor climb the pylon. "Allyson! Something happened!" Tommy cried from inside. She quickly rushed in and looked over it. The main converter was broken. She quickly started to dig through the pile of random devices. She finds what she was looking for and quickly gets to work replacing it. Tommy re-plugs the machine in and it whirls back into action.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor watches as the light beams retreat from the pylons. Everyone's faces were returned. The red lights fall back into the Wire's portable TV, and she begins to writhe and wail with pain. "It's closed down, I'm afraid - and no epilogue." The Doctor frowned at her. She lets out one last horrible shriek before the television switches off. The Doctor stares at it for a moment, hoping that everyone that she had already gotten had their faces back.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Allyson and Tommy were hugging and laughing, glad that it worked. They watched as the last of the red electricity fades into their machine. The TV by the device was on, showing the coronation going as planned. The Doctor soon walks in, Allyson and Tommy immediately spot him. "What have I missed?" He smiled at them.

"Doctor! What happened?" Tommy asked as Allyson runs up and gives him a quick hug, happy to see him okay.

"Sorted. Electrical creature, TV technology, clever alien life form - that's me by the way. I turned the receiver back into a transmitter and I trapped the Wire in here." He points to the video tape that had self ejected itself. "I just invented the home video 30 years earlier. Betamax." He noticed the coronation on the TV. "Oh look! God save the Queen, eh?" They watch the coronation for a bit when Allyson tugs on the Doctor's sleeve.

"_Rose!"_ They all run out of the room, practically forgetting the machine, but the Doctor had grabbed the tape that held the Wire on it.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

They return to Tommy's street. A huge street party was happening and people were milling about, reuniting with loved ones. Tommy smiles when he sees his gran an rushes up to her. "Gran!"

"Look, it's my grandson! Oh son!" They hug each other, happy. The Doctor and Allyson stand silently, both searching the crowd for a particular blonde. The Doctor sees her just as she sees him, they all smile widely and run towards each other. The Doctor and Rose hug, him swinging her around in a huge hug. She buries her face into his shoulder, so happy to be back with him. Allyson stands back and watches them with a sad look in her eye, but was still thrilled to have Rose back.

Out on the street, 50's music was playing and people were out on the street, dancing and chatting. Tables like the middle of the street, covered with food and sweets. The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson walk down the street, glad to see everything back to how it was. "We could go down the mall, join in with the crowd."

"Nah," The Doctor shoved some Victoria sponge in his mouth, " that's just pomp and circumstance. This is history right here." He nodded toward the street party. Rose smiled at him.

"The domestic approach."

"Exactly." The Doctor goes to take the last bite of his sponge when Allyson grabbed it from him, quickly shoving it into her mouth. "Hey.." He gave her a childish look as she chewed on it. "That was mine.." He pouted, Allyson stuck her tongue out at him before making a disgusted face and shuttered.

"_Terrible."_ She quickly snatched up some water and began to chug it, trying to get the bad taste out of her mouth. The Doctor and Rose laugh at her.

"Will it... that thing.. is it trapped for good - on video?"

"Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivaled knowledge of trans temporal extirpation methods to neutralize the residual electronic pattern." He looked at her with pensively. She gave him a blank look.

"You what?"

"_He's going to tape over it."_ Allyson rolled her eyes at the Doctor as Rose laughed.

"Just leave it to me, I'm always doing that." She smiled at him. The come across Tommy who was standing by one of the tables.

"Tell you what Tommy - you can have the scooters. Little present." Allyson frowned.

"_Oh, no. No one is giving MY scooter away." _She scolded him lightly. The Doctor looked at her, slightly scared. He didn't want on her bad side.

"I mean, you can have my scooter. Best.. um.. keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?" He stammered out. Tommy smiles, having an idea of what just happened. The Doctor looks behind Tommy, drawing everyone's attention to Eddie, walking down the street with his suitcase in hand.

"Good riddance." Tommy said, thankful that his mother finally had the guts to throw him out.

"Is that it then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world - no room for a man like Eddie Connolly."

"That's right. He deserves it." Tommy harshly, but something else peeked through his words and Rose picked up on it.

"Tommy, go after him." Rose told him.

"What for?"

"He's your dad."

"He's an idiot."

"Course he is. Like I said, he's your dad." She said like it was obvious. "But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world so don't stop there. Go on!" She gave him a nudge and he runs after his dad, taking his suitcase from him as they walk. The Doctor hands Rose a glass of orange juice. Allyson picked one up and they all chink them together, smiling.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Okay, so someone mentioned sign language. I was originally going to have her only talk through sign language but you still have the issue with only the Doctor and Rose being able to understand through the TARDIS. I can see how it would make a lot more sense like if the Doctor and Allyson were talking in front of people, but usually the Doctor's pretty smooth or doesn't pay her much mind when she talks to him telepathically. But don't worry, at some point in time this all may change! But I may just do this still.

In this episode I kind of wanted to show that because she can't talk she is sometimes forgotten, plus this was more of a Doctor/Rose episode and I don't want to completely rip them apart as soon as Allyson shows up. We also see a little bit more of her personality. Like, you don't mess with Rose, lol. She also can be a little possessive of her things.

I love hearing from you guys! So please review and PM if you want. I just went through my e-mails the other day and it turns out that msn deemed Fanficton junk and I found like 75 messages in there from here. So I fixed it up and now I wake up with a few new emails, lol.

Tatty-bye, loves!


	8. Chapter 8: Impossible Planet

**Chapter 8: Impossible Planet**

The TARDIS groans and wheezes as she lands. Allyson stands by the console with a frown on her face. She had grown attached to the box since she started traveling with the Doctor and Rose. She gently rubbed the control panel, feeling the blue box's uneasiness within her own stomach. The Doctor looks concerned at his precious TARDIS as they continue to land. Once they land the Doctor walks outside, Rose and Allyson right behind him. They stepped out and stared up at the phone box, all of them with a small-confused frown on their faces. "I dunno what's wrong with her, she's sort of … queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't wanna land." He told them.

"Oh, If you think there's gonna be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else…" Rose looked at him seriously. The three of them broke out in laughter.

"I think.." He stared calming down. "We've landed inside a cupboard!" He looked around the small room they were in. "Here we go!" He smiled as he pushed open a door and they walk through into another part of the base.

"Open Door 15." An automated voice sounded. Allyson looked back at the TARDIS as the Doctor closed the door, something wasn't setting right with her.

"Some sort of base… moon base, sea base, space base… they build these things out of kits." They walked through the compartment and to the next door.

"Glad we're indoors – sounds like a storm out there.." Allyson's brow furrowed, that was no storm.

"Open Door 16." The same voice spoke up as the Doctor opened the next door, Rose and Allyson follow him into a corridor.

"Human design – you've got a thing about kits. This place was put together like a flat-pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier." They walk through it and through another door.

"Open Door 17." They walk into room. The Doctor walks right up to the middle of it.

"Oh, it's a sanctuary base!" He smiled.

"Close Door 17." Allyson walked around, an uncomfortable pit forming in her stomach. Her eyes danced around the room until they froze on some writing.

"Deep Space exploration. We've gone _way_ out. And listen to that, underneath…" He paused with his head tipped to the side as he pointed downwards.

"_Doctor."_

"Someone's drilling." He looked at Rose with a small smile.

"Welcome to hell." Rose read what Allyson had been staring at with an unsettling look.

"Oh, it's not THAT bad!" The Doctor waved her off. Rose laughed and pointed at the wall.

"No, over there!" The Doctor looked over at the writing on the wall. He glances at both the girls before looking where Rose was pointing. 'Welcome to hell' scrawled on the wall with ancient writings beneath it.

"Hold on.." The Doctor walked up to it, a troubled look on his face. "What does that say?" He continues to stare at the writing. Maybe since the TARDIS wasn't well it was taking her a while to translate. "That's weird. It won't translate." Rose glanced over at him as she took her place next to him. Allyson continued to stand frozen in her spot.

"But I thought the TARDIS translated everything, writing as well. We should see English." Rose asked him, confused.

"Exactly. If that's not working then it means.. this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old." He glanced back at Allyson and frowned. "Allyson? Something wrong?" She took a step back, her gaze shifted to him.

"_I recognize that writing."_ His brows furrowed as the fear in her voice.

"Really? What's it say?" She shook her head.

"_I – I can't read it."_ She gulped. "_An ancient race left it as a warning."_ The Doctor looked back at the writing, thinking about the possibilities. He quickly walks over to another door.

"We should find out who's in charge." He spun the wheel opening the door. "We've gone beyond the reach of the TARDIS' knowledge. Not a good move. And if someone's lucky enough –"

"Open Door 19." The door opens and the Doctor, Rose, and Allyson stare in shock at the creatures on the other side. They were bald with slanted eyes and red tentacles where their mouths should be. The Doctor blinks blankly at them as he regained his composure. "Right! Hello! Sorry! Uh… I was just saying, uh… nice base!" He quickly smiled at them as they walked through the door.

"We must feed." They said, spheres lit up in their hands.

"You're gonna what?" The Doctor looked at them confused.

"We must feed."

"Yeah. I think they mean us." Rose said a little freaked. Allyson quickly hid behind Rose. They begin to back away as the creatures approach.

"We must feed." Allyson runs over to the other door to open it, but only more of the creatures come through it. "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." Allyson backed away as another door opens and more walk in. The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson back into a corner. The creatures continue to chant as the Doctor and Allyson pull out their sonic screwdrivers and Rose grabs a chair, holding it threateningly. The creature closest to them shakes it's sphere and taps it lightly. "You. If you are hungry." The Doctor looked at them bewildered.

"Sorry?" He asked as he lowered his sonic.

"We apologize. Electromagnetics have interfered with our speech systems." Rose looks around, putting down the chair, confused.

"Would you like some refreshments?"

"Uhm.." The Doctor was unsure.

"Open Door 18." A door opens and three people walk in, two carrying guns.

"What the hell? How did..?" The man in front looked completely lost. "Captain.." He spoke into a walky talky, incredulously. "You're not going to believe this. We've got PEOPLE. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean three… living… people. Just standing here, right in front of me." The three shared glances, they didn't quite know what to make of this.

"Don't be stupid, that's impossible." Another man's voice spoke back.

"I suggest telling THEM that." The first guy continued to stare at the trio.

"But you're a sort of space base, you must have visitors now and then. It can't be that impossible." Rose spoke up.

"_Judging by their reactions, I'm guessing no." _She told Rose. "_Something's not right here."_ She spoke the last part more to the Doctor.

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" The man asked them roughly.

"No idea." The Doctor grinned. "More fun that way." Allyson lightly smacked his arm. He gave her a startled 'what was that for' look and she gave him a 'keep talking like that and they'll lock us up in a loony bin' look.

"Stand by, everyone." A woman's voice spoke over the speakers. "Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake Point 5 on its way." The building starts to shake and rumble as the three people run over to a door and open it. The creatures just standing aside.

"Through here! Now. Quickly, come on!" The first guy ushered them through the door as sirens begin to sound. Behind the Doctor, Rose, and Allyson were the two security guards and the creatures. "Now!" They rush into a corridor that had smoke rising from the floor as it shook, everything in complete chaos. "Move it! Come on! Come on, come on!" He kept yelling at them. Rose screams as she trips but Allyson, who quickly helped her back to her feet, caught her. The Doctor putting a hand on them both, steadying them. "Move it, come on! Quickly! Move it!" They all run down the corridor and to the next door, the man quickly opened it, revealing the control room. The room was buzzing with the crew, working. Everyone looks up and sees the Doctor, Rose, and Allyson, and stare in shock.

"Oh, my GOD. You meant it." A man that sat behind the controls gaped at them.

"People! Look at that! Real people!" A woman on the opposite side of the controls smiled as she pointed at them. The Doctor just smiled at them, thrilled with the attention.

"That's us. Hooray!" He cheered.

"Yeah, definitely real. My name's Rose." She smiled at them. "Rose Tyler, and this is the Doctor and Allyson." She pointed at the two that stood on either side of her. A man with long hair strides over to them, giving them all a once over.

"Come on.. the oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be…no. They're real!"

"Come ON, we're in the middle of an alert!" The man at the controls redirected their attention back at hand. "Danny, strap up, the quake's coming in! Impact in 30 seconds!" They all look up at a screen that displayed red numbers, counting down from 30 seconds. The man looked over at them and gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry, you three, whoever you are. Just… hold on. Tight." Allyson quickly grabs onto some railing by the Doctor.

"Hold on to what?" Rose asked the man, puzzled.

"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?" The Doctor and Rose grab on to some railing, slightly uncomfortable.

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated." An Ood that stood by a door thanked the man.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" The Doctor asked as he watched everyone. An older woman answered him.

"Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows and Allyson furrowed hers, not liking this. "You really don't know, do you?"

"And… IMPACT!" The man at the controls announced as the entire base shook violently. Everyone clinging to what they could grab as tight as they could. Soon the shaking stop and the Doctor stands, thinking it's over.

"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad –" The base begins to shake again, Allyson quickly grabs hold of him before he fell and helps him re-secure his grip on the railing. Sparks and smoke start spewing out of some consoles as they shaking continues. A fire erupts over by Danny before the shaking stops.

"Okay, that's it." The man at the controls confirmed for the Doctor. The man that they had first met rushed forward with a fire extinguisher and expelled the fire by Danny. "Everyone alright? Speak to me. Ida?"

"Yeah, yeah!" The older blonde answered.

"Danny?"

"Fine."

"Toby?"

"Yeah, fine." The guy in the blue replied.

"Scooti?"

"No damage." The younger blonde said.

"Jefferson?"

"Check!" The guy with the extinguisher put it down.

"We're fine, thanks, fine yeah, don't worry about us." The Doctor yelled out as he tried to stand up. Rose and Allyson struggling to stand up as well.

"The surface caved in." In front of him a display popped up. It showed the layout of the base, one part of it flashing red. "I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link." Toby gave him an exasperated look.

"That's not my department." He argued.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" Toby's shoulders slump as he stalks out of the control room, past the Doctor and Rose. Allyson had managed to regain her footing and had walked over to the control panel, looking at the display.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity 56.6. We should be okay." Ida checked the gauges as she unlatched herself from her seat. Rose and the Doctor had stood up and were looking around.

"Never mind the earthquake, that's… that's one hell of a storm. What is that, hurricane?" Rose questioned. Allyson frowned as she continued to look at the display.

"_It can't be a storm of that sort. I'm assuming that since they need artificial oxygen and gravity that is __**not**__ any kind of storm we've ever seen."_ Rose gulped as she slightly hoped that the girl was wrong.

"You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane. There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum." Scooti looked at the concerned. They really had no idea.

"Then what's shaking the roof?" Rose frowned, not quite following.

"You're not joking. You really don't know? Well – introduction. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer." She points to the man at the controls. "Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir.. you've met Mr, Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartock. Ethics committee."

"Not as boring as it sounds." Danny defended. The Doctor and Rose grin at him, but Allyson continued looking at the display. She'd taken it upon herself to explore the parts of the base and some of the statistics. She offhandedly listened to Ida, already having gotten their names when Zach was checking up on them.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this." She puts her hands on Scooti's shoulders. "is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance." Scooti smiles at them as Ida walks over to a switch on the wall. "And this… this is home." She flips the lever and the groaning of a machine is heard.

"Brace yourselves. The sight of it sends some people mad." Zach looked at them, giving them a warning look. The top of the room begins to move, a reddish gold light filters through the crack as the window begins to open. Allyson looked up, dropping her hands from the controls as the sight took her breath away. The dome opened fully, revealing a black hole. Dirt, debris, and gases were being sucked in creating the spectrum of light that they see.

"_Amazing. I want one.._" Allyson told the Doctor.

"That's a black hole." Rose said disbelievingly.

"But that's impossible." The Doctor gasped.

"I did warn you." Zach watched them, waiting for them to go mad.

"We're standing under a black hole."

"We're in orbit." Ida told him.

"But we can't be.."

"_Yes you can, Doctor."_

"You can see for yourself. We're in orbit." Ida told him again. He turned and looked at her, ignoring Allyson.

"But we CAN'T be."

"_Yes, we can."_ But again she goes unheard.

"This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that black hole without falling in. Discuss." Ida challenged.

"And that's bad, yeah?" Rose looked at Ida, slightly scared look. Allyson's brows furrowed, why wasn't anyone listening to her.

"That doesn't cover it. A black hole's a dead star, it collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too. Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity…time.. everything just gets pulled inside.. and crushed." The Doctor explained to her.

"So, they can't be in orbit. We should be pulled right in."

"_Technically but it is possible to orbit a black hole!" _Allyson roared in their heads causing them to turn and look at her. She sighed and put a hand on her hip.

"You can't orbit a black hole!" The Doctor turned on her.

"_Yes you can! You can orbit a black hole like you orbit a star."_

"No you can't!"

"_Yes. You. Can."_

"Alright," He decided to humor her. "How?"

"_A black hole has gravity. A star has gravity. We can orbit a star because when we begin to fall in we're moving fast enough to knock ourselves out of it. Like those little coin tornado things, where you let the coin roll into the hole at the bottom, planets are constantly doing that. But they move fast enough to pull themselves away." _ She stood directly in front of him now, her face inches from his.

"It's impossible!" He yelled at her.

"_Nothing is impossible!" _She yelled back. "_You of all people should know that." _

"We should be dead!"

"And yet," Ida interrupted their little spat, giving them odd looks, "here we are. Beyond the laws of physics. Welcome on board."

"But if there's no atmosphere out there, what's that?" Rose asked as she pointed up, trying to change the subject. Clouds raced over the window and towards the black hole.

"Stars breaking up… gas clouds… we have whole star systems being ripped apart above out heads before falling into that thing."

"So, a bit worse than a storm, then." Rose looked at Ida to confirm.

"Just a bit." Ida shrugged.

"Just a bit, yeah." Rose nodded, just then the base shook.

"What was that?" The Doctor asked, finally stepping away from Allyson. Ida flipped the switch and the panel began to shut again, covering the black hole.

"Just an aftershock." Zach told him. "So, my turn, what was that?" He gestured between Allyson and the Doctor.

"Oh, she's telepathic. Only way she can talk. So don't be frightened if you hear her, but she has to touch you. So if you don't like it just tell her." The Doctor waved him off. "Okay, so what have we got here?" He walked over to the control center where Zach and a few others had gathered.

"Close Door 1." Toby walked back into the room.

"The rocket link's fine." He tells them as he too walks over to the console, where everyone else had gathered. Zach presses a button on the controls and a hologram of the black hole appears. The Doctor puts his glasses on and Allyson squints slightly.

"That's the black hole officially designated K37 Gen 5." He told them.

"In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is call 'Kroptor'. The bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a might demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out. Because it was poison." Ida recalled the story for them. Rose smiles at her.

"The bitter pill. I like that." The Doctor and Allyson continued to stare at the hologram.

"We are so far out. Lost in the drifts of the universe – how did you even GET here?!" He looked over at Zach, confused.

"We flew in. You see," he pressed another button and the hologram changed to an image of Kroptor. A red field emitting from one little point of origin, creating a tunnel. "This planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how – we've no idea, but… it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there." He gestures to the funnel. "As a funnel. A distinct…gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was out way in."

"You flew down that thing?" Rose nodded towards the funnel. "Like a roller-coaster." She grinned.

"By rights, the ship should've been torn apart. We lost the Captain… which is what put me in charge…"

"You're doing a good job." Ida comforted him.

"Yeah. Well, needs must." Zach shrugged, not really agreeing but not complaining.

"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out." Danny redirected their attention back to the hologram.

"We had fun speculating about that." Scooti rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah. That's the word." Danny whacks her on the head with a rolled up piece of paper. "'Fun'".

"But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power! I mean… not just big, but off the scale! Can I?" He gestures to the controls, completely stumped.

"Sure. Help yourself." Ida pushes the calculator over to the Doctor as he begins to punch in numbers. And Ood walks over to Rose and hands her a refreshment. Allyson quickly blocked them out as she focused on the Doctor and his calculations. She was catching the numbers from the top of his mind, thinking hard.

"_You'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds."_ Allyson concluded before the Doctor could finish. He stared at her shocked.

"You do all that in your head?" She looked down, embarrassed.

"What'd she say?" Ida asked him.

"To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds." The Doctor continued to give Allyson an odd look.

"That's a lot of sixes." Rose looked over at them.

"And it's impossible."

"_Nothing's impossible."_ Allyson told him.

"It took us two years to work that out!" Zach looked at them flabbergasted.

"I'm very good." Allyson jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow." And she's brilliant. Just…brilliant." He quickly covered.

"But…that's why we're here. This power source is 10 miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it." Ida tapped a button and the hologram changed to show the source of the gravity funnel. A small point that wasn't in the center of the planet, like it should be, flashed.

"It's giving off readings of over 90 stats on the Blazen Scale." Zach told them.

"We could revolutionize modern science." Ida smiled enthusiastically.

"We could use it to fuel the Empire." Jefferson told them. The Doctor took of his glasses and gave him a solemn look.

"Or start a war."

"It's buried beneath us. In the darkness, waiting." Allyson eyed Toby suspiciously, she didn't like how he phrased that word.

"What's your job? Chief dramatist?" Rose gave a small laugh and the Doctor smirked.

"Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomena. And this, er, planet once supported life. Eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk." Toby ignored her.

"I saw that lettering written on the wall. Did YOU do that?" The Doctor asked him, Toby nods.

"I copied it from fragments we found on earth by drilling, but I can't translate it." The Doctor frowned.

"No, neither can I. And that's saying something."

"There was some form of civilization. They buried something. Now it's reaching out. Calling us in." Allyson continued to eye Toby. She didn't like this at all. First the TARDIS and now this weird writing.

"And you came." The Doctor grinned at them all.

"Well, how could we not?" Ida said obviously. Zach flipped off the hologram as the Doctor continued to grin at them fondly.

"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was THERE. Brilliant. Excuse me, ah, Zach, was it?" The Doctor still had a scary grin on his face.

"That's me." Zach acknowledged.

"Just stand there, 'cos I'm gonna hug you. Is that all right?" The Doctor held out his arms, waiting for Zach's consent. Allyson raised an eyebrow at the Doctor.

"I s'pose so." Zach shrugged. The Doctor slowly edged towards him.

"Here we go. Coming in." He slowly wraps Zach in a hug and holds tight, just beaming with joy. "Ahh, human beings, you are amazing!" Ida smiles, amused at the scene before her and the Doctor lets out a laugh. He releases Zach but still holds his shoulders. "Thank you." He smiled at him before dropping his hands.

"Not at all."

"But apart from that, you're completely mad. You should pack your bags and get back in that ship and fly for your lives."

"You can talk!" Ida gasped at him. "And how the hell did YOU get here?" The Doctor shifted some and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, I've got this um... this... it's hard to explain, it just sort of... appears." The Doctor awkwardly explained.

"We can show you, we parked down the corridor from um...oh, what's it called? Uh, habitation area..." Rose looked to the Doctor and Allyson for help.

"Three" They both told her.

"Three." She smiled at Zach. "Three."

"Do you mean storage six?" He asked them, starting to get uncomfortable.

"Uh, it was a bit of a cupboard yeah." He smiled as he thought about it, Allyson's eyes widen and she smacked the Doctor's arm. He looked down at her and frowned. "Storage six, but you said..." It finally clicked," You said - you said storage 5-8." He quickly turns and dashes out of the control room and down through the corridors. Rose and Allyson directly behind him. He frantically opens Door 19.

"What is it? what's wrong?" Rose shouted after him.

"Open Door 19." The Doctor sprints back through the canteen area. "Close Door 19." The Doctor tries to open the door, but it was opening to slowly for him.

"Stupid doors, come ON!" He yelled at it furiously. It finally swings open and they re-emerge into another corridor.

"Open Door 17." They run down another corridor and open the next door. "Open Door 15." The Doctor ran down the corridor and slammed himself into the next door, frantically pressing the button, trying to open it. "Door 16 out of commission."

"Can't be, can't be!" He cried out, angry.

"What's wrong?! What is it?" Rose demanded, upset that the Doctor was in such a state. "Doctor, the TARDIS is in there. What's happened." The Doctor opened a window in the door and looked out.

"_The TARDIS is gone. The earthquake collapsed this section."_ Allyson told her, looking sadly at the Doctor before putting a comforting hand on his arm.

"But it's gotta be out there somewhere." She looked at them both puzzled. The Doctor moves aside and motions for her to look out the window. She peers through it but sees nothing but the barren rocky landscape.

"Look down." The Doctor told her. She glanced down and saw a large gaping chasm that begins right by the door.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor and Rose were crouched down by the ancient text on the wall in the canteen area. The Doctor staring at it, trying to decipher it. Allyson sat back at a table, poking at some blue goop unconsciously as she stared out at nothing. "Danny, check the temperature of the Ood Habitation. It seems to be rising." Zach spoke through the tannoy. Danny leaves the room to check on the Ood while Rose heads over to a hatch, through which the Ood are serving food. Allyson continued to stare off, thinking of the writing, as Rose chats with Scooti. She tilts her head curiously. What was that sound? She heard some whispering in the back of her mind. At first it was quiet and muffled. She furrowed her brows and focused on the noise. Wisps of ancient words filtered through her mind. Fear speared through her heart as she listened. She tried to call out for the Doctor, but found that she couldn't. Whatever it was, was suppressing her telepathy. She opened her mouth, trying to make any kind of noise to get someone to notice. But since she was sitting alone no one noticed her struggle. She tried to laugh, but found she couldn't' even do that, tears started to build up in her eyes. Why couldn't she do anything?

"The Beast and his Armies shall rise from the Pit to make war against God." She heard an Ood speak. She looked over at it terrified as it simply tapped its orb, fixing it. "Apologies. I said, 'I hope you enjoy your mean.'" She looked back at the writing on the wall, a single bit was legible.

"The Beast will rise." Tears streamed down her face as she started to mouth the words. The phrase repeating and repeating in her mind. A fierce headache raged through her head.

Nobody noticed. Everyone continued on as if she wasn't sitting at the table, grabbing her head in pain. The Doctor and Rose sat down by her, Rose playing with her blue food and the Doctor still staring at the writing.

"So, what do you think?" Rose asked the Doctor as she tried a bit of her food.

"Well, that's the problem. I don't know what to think." He scratched the back of his neck, completely lost. "Allyson? What do you think?" He looked to the girl to his right. She seemed to always be able to figure something out. Since the Cybermen he started to value her opinion close to his own. He frowned at her, seeing her sitting with her head in her hands. "Allyson? Allyson? You alright?" He shook her lightly. Her head snapped up out of her hands and she gave him a startled look. The Doctor continued to frown. "You alright?" He asked again. She quickly cast a glance around the room before nodding. She silently resumed picking at her food. The Doctor and Rose shared a concerned look. The lights flicked, gaining everyone's attention.

"Zach - have we got a problem?" Ida spoke into her communication device.

"No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up, it might be worth a look." He responded. Ida looked over at the Doctor, Rose, and Allyson.

"You might wanna see this. Moment in history." She smiled at them as she walked over to the wall and pulled another switch, opening the shutters overhead. The eerie red light overtaking the canteen. The black hole slowly came into view. "There. On the edge." Ida pointed out to them. A spiraling stream of red light fell into the black hole, disappearing forever. "that red cloud... that used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi.. a mighty civilization spanning a billion years... disappearing. Forever. Their planets and suns consumed." They gaze up at the black hole, fascinated by the beauty and the horrific meaning. The last of the red spiral disappears, signalling the end of the Scarlet System. "Ladies and gentlemen... we have witnessed its passing." She said solemnly. She goes to pull the lever to close the shutters when the Doctor stops her.

"Er, no, could you leave it open?" He asked, earning a look from Rose and Allyson. "Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

"How would you know?" She raised an eyebrow, the Doctor only smiled at her. "Scooti, check the lock-down." She sighed, letting the Doctor have it his way. Scooti nods and leaves. "Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me." Jefferson and Ida both exit, leaving the Doctor, Rose, and Allyson alone.

"I've seen films and things, yeah - they say black holes are like gateways to another universe." Rose stared up at the black hole, trying to find a bright side to this.

"_The massive ones, yeah."_ Allyson answered. "_They're so big they just punch a hole through the dimensional fabric and go right into another one."_

"But not that one. It just eats." The Doctor chimed in at the end.

"Long way from home." The Doctor glanced at her from the black hole.

"Go that way," He pointed off into a direction," turn right, keep going for um... about 500 years... then you'll reach the Earth." Rose pulls out her phone and checks the signal, wanting to call her mother.

"No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of range. Mind you, even if I could... what would I tell her? Can you build another TARDIS?" She laughs half-heartedly, trying to cheer them all up, but she knows it's impossible.

"_They were grown, not built."_ Allyson answered automatically. She froze again. The Doctor gave her an odd look.

"Yeah.." He started, a bit distracted. "And with my own planet gone...we're kind of stuck." Rose glanced between the two, not quite sure why he was surprised. Allyson seemed to know a lot about random things. Her current theory is that she's just from really far into the future and it's just her memories filtering back to her.

"Well, it could be worse." She kept her tone light, trying to see the upside. "This lot said they'd give us a lift." She smiled.

"And then what?" The Doctor frowned, he didn't like the idea of being chained down. Of not being able to go out and explore all of time and space.

"I dunno. Find a planet, get a job, live a life, same as the rest of the universe." She shrugged. Allyson snorted, the Doctor settling down? That was comedy gold right there.

"Pfft! I'd have to settle down." He ignored Allyson's laugh. "In a house or something, a proper house with - with - with -with DOORS and things." He looked disgusted by the prospect. "Carpets! Me! Living in a house!" Rose laughs at him. "Now that, that is terrifying."

"You'd have to get a mortgage." Rose teasingly sang. The Doctor looked absolutely horrified.

"No." Dread filled his voice.

"Oh yes." Rose laughed.

"I am dying. That's it. I am dying, it is all over." He threw his arms up in defeat.

"What about Allyson? I'd have to get one too. I dunno, could be the same one, we could both.." She trialed off, suggesting that they should be together. The Doctor gives her a look. "I dunno... share. Or not, you know. Whatever." She played it down some. The Doctor nods, turning away from her, slightly awkward. "I dunno, we'll sort something out-" she quickly brushed it off.

"_Anyway."_ Allyson quickly intervened, not liking the awkwardness of the situation.

"We'll see!" Rose laughed. They all sat in silence for a while until the Doctor spoke up.

"I promised Jackie I'd always take you back home. And the Face of Boe that I'd protect you."

_"You are protecting me."_ Allyson showed herself to the Doctor some, indicating that she was fine. "_I'm in one piece."_

"Everyone leaves home in the end." Rose said.

"Not to end up stuck here."

"Yeah, but stuck with you - that's not so bad." Allyson gave a snort.

"_Unless he's sleeping."_ The Doctor gave her a insulted look.

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?" He frowned.

"_You snore."_

"The TARDIS walls are soundproof! Even if I did, you wouldn't know."

_"Yeah, exactly. I __**do**__ know."_ She and Rose laughed at the Doctor's distraught face. The moment was interrupted by Rose's phone, Allyson and the Doctor frown slightly since Rose had said so herself that there was no service out here. She quickly answers her phone before throwing it at the floor, shocked.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson all run down to the Ood Habitation to find Danny working away on a computer that's stationed on a platform above the Ood. "Evening!" The Doctor called.

"Only us!" Rose smiled.

"_Hi!"_ Allyson touched his shoulder, happy to talk to someone else.

"The mysterious trio. How are you, then? Settling in?" He politely asked while he still worked on the computer.

"Yeah, sorry, straight to business, the Ood - how do they communicate? I mean, with each other?" The Doctor stared down at the Ood who all sat in their respective places in what looked like an animal pen.

"Oh, just empaths. There's a low level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does THEM much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle. Any communications they do have would be like with her -" He pointed at Allyson, "Only simpler and no touching required." Danny shrugged.

"This telepathic field - can it pick up messages?" The Doctor asked quickly.

"'Cos I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something...well, odd." Rose bit her lip.

"Oh." Danny shrugged again. "An odd Ood."

"And then I got something else on my eh... communicator thing." She glanced at the Doctor, not sure what all she could tell him.

"Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing." The three of them exchanged looks.

"_Have you experienced any of this?"_ Allyson raised an eyebrow at him.

"Look, if there was something wrong, it would show." He tried to brush of their concerns. "We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill." The Doctor nodded to the computer, the screen read 'Basic 5'.

"Monitor the field - that's this thing?" He asked.

"Yeah. But like I said, it's low level telepathy, they only register Basic 5." While he was explaining it the computer changed. It now read 'Basic 6'.

"Well, that's not Basic 5." The number went up, again and again. "10... 20.." The Doctor turns and faces Danny. "They've gone up to Basic 30." Allyson lightly rubs her head. The whispers were back.

"But they can't..." Allyson tried to call out to the Doctor, but she couldn't. It was the same thing as in the canteen area. The whispers were taking over her mind. She started mouthing the words "The Beast will rise." over and over. She fell to her knees, the pain in her head becoming to much.

"Doctor! Allyson!" The Doctor turns to see Allyson on the floor, Rose was rubbing her back, trying to talk to her. "Allyson what's wrong?" Tears streamed down her cheeks again. The pain was to much. The Doctor knelled down, trying to reach into her mind to figure out what was hurting her but found a wall. He frowned, he hadn't taught her how to block her thoughts that effectively.

"Allyson. You have to tell us what's wrong. What's hurting you." He tried.

"_The voice!"_ She tried to yell at Rose and the Doctor, but she wasn't sure if it made it through. Rose glanced over and noticed the Ood all standing, staring up at them. The Doctor noticed Rose looking down at them and quickly followed her gaze.

"What does Basic 30 mean?" Rose asked Danny.

"Well, it means that they're shouting - screaming inside their head." He looked back and forth between the Ood and Allyson, baffled.

"Oh something's shouting at them..." The Doctor said quietly under his breath as he held Allyson to keep her from ripping at her hair.

"But..." Danny typed on the keyboard. "Where's it coming from? What is it saying? I mean -" He looked at Rose. "What did it say to you?"

"Something about the beast in the pit." Rose told him as her concern for Allyson continued to grow as the girl started thrashing about.

"What about your communicator? What did that say?" He blinked, none of this was helping.

"He is a wake." She said after a pause.

"And you will worship him." The Ood spoke as one.

"What the hell?" Danny demanded, completely at a lost. The Doctor stood, leaving the now still Allyson in Rose's care.

"His is awake." He addressed the Ood.

"And you will worship him." They responded.

"Worship who?" He demanded. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?" Only one voice answered him, it was small and scratchy.

"The Beast." The Doctor turns on his heel and stares fearfully at Allyson. Her eyes were still glassy from her tears, but other than that she seemed to have regained herself.

"Allyson? How'd you do that?" He runs over and crouches down by her. "How'd you talk?" He furrowed his brows. Allyson swallowed and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The base shook before Allyson could even answer him telepathically.

"Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach." The computer sounded an alarm. Danny looked scared.

"Which section?" He spoke into his wrist communicator.

"Everyone." Zach sounded over the device. "Evacuate 11 to 13, we've got a breach! The base is open. Repeat: the base is OPEN." The all share a scared look. The Doctor hoisted Allyson into his arms.

"Let's go!" He shouted, Danny lead the way as they run back to canteen area.

"I can't contain the oxygen field, we're gonna lose it!" Zach's voice reached them as they burst into the canteen area. Jefferson, Ida, and a few others emerged as well.

"Come on! Keep moving!" Jefferson yelled at everyone, trying to open the door. "And you too, Toby!" He grabbed Toby and pulled him through the door, causing him to fall flat on his face. Jefferson slams the door shut.

"Breach sealed. Breach sealed." The Doctor sets Allyson down on a near by chair as he rushes over to the small group that emerged.

"Everyone all right?! What happened? What was it?" He asked him all.

"Oxygen levels normal."

"Hull breach!" Jefferson answered, panting. "We were open to the elements. A couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters." Rose rushes over to help Toby who was sweating and panting on the floor.

"That wasn't a quake. What caused it?" The Doctor looked around, trying to piece things together.

"We've lost sections 11 to 13. Everyone all right?" Zach asked over their communications device.

"We've got everyone here except Scooti. Scooti, report." Jefferson talked into his wrist. His only reply was static and a beep. "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report." He tried, more stern than before, but no reply.

"She's all right." Zach told them. Jefferson and Ida breath a sigh of relief. "I picked up her bio chip, she's in Habitation 3. Better go and check if she's not responding, she might be unconscious." Jefferson and the others leave the Doctor, Allyson, Rose, and Toby. The Doctor crouches down by Toby, who was severely shaken.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I don't - I dunno, I - I was working and then I can't remember. All - all that noise, the room was falling apart, there was no air -" He was frantic and flustered. Rose and the Doctor help Toby to his feet.

"Come on. Up you get. Come and have some Protein One." She linked her arm through Toby's and starts walking down a corridor.

"Oh, you've gone native." The Doctor laughed as he helped Allyson to her feet.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein One with just a dash of Three." She smiled at him. The Doctor wrapped an arm around Allyson's shoulders to help her walk. They enter into Habitation 3 and find everyone looking around, trying to find Scooti.

"Have you seen Scooti?" Jefferson asked them, concerned.

"No, no, no, I don't think so." Toby answered, still unsure of what really happened.

"Scooti, please respond, if you can hear this please respo - Habitation 6." Ida called into her communicator.

"Nowhere here." Jefferson pressed a button on his communicator before speaking. "Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing."

"It says Habitation 3." Zach responded. Allyson looked around before looking up.

"Yeah, well that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's NOT HERE." Jefferson yelled, upset. The Doctor notices Allyson staring up and follows her gaze, through the overhead window.

"Found her." He said sadly. They all look upwards. Rose covers her mouth, shocked.

"Oh, my God.." They all see Scooti's body floating just outside the window.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor frowned. Everyone just stares horrified at the scene.

"Captain... report Officer Scootori Manista PKD... deceased. 43K2.1.." Jefferson spoke softly into his wrist device.

"She was 20." Ida watched Scooti's body, her eyes teared up. "20 years old." She walks over to the controls on the wall and pulls a switch. The Doctor stares up at Scooti, grave and silent, as the shutters roll close.

"For how should Man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father, and the temples of his Gods." Jefferson's voice dropped to a whisper. The eerie red light was gone but the room still held a gloomy feeling, a strange silence fell over the group.

"It's stopped.." Ida noted, a distant crash was heard. Rose stood over by the Doctor and Allyson.

"What was that? What was it?" Rose looked around, panicked.

"The drill." The Doctor told her.

"We've stopped drilling. We've made it. Point Zero." Ida informed them.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose and Allyson stood to the side as the crew prepared to explore the mineshaft. "Capsule established. All systems functioning... the mineshaft is go...bring systems online now." Ida called out. The Doctor stalked up to Zach, dressed in a spacesuit. Zach could only stare at him.

"Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force." The Doctor reported.

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol. We don't even know who you are." Zach told him.

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on, look me in the eye, yes you do, I can see it. Trust." The Doctor smiled at him. Allyson frowned at the Doctor.

"I should be going down." Zach frowned.

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here. In charge."

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach said bitterly. Allyson walked up to the two males, she lightly put a hand on Zach's arm.

"_If he's going. So am I."_ She told him, determination in her voice. The Doctor looked at her angrily.

"No! I won't let you do that!" He yelled at her, she flinched but looked him in the eye.

"_You can't protect me from down there." _She looked down at her shoes. "_Plus, someone's gotta make sure you don't do something stupid."_ Zach nodded to her.

"Ida! Help her into a suit!" Zach ordered. Ida rushed over and began to assist Allyson who was still the object of the Doctor's attention. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions!" Zach called out as he walked away. Rose catches the Doctor's eye and they walk toward each other. Zach was still ordering people about, but his voice faded to the background as it was only them in their own little world. The Doctor began to fiddle with a device on his wrist.

"Oxygen, nitro-balance, gravity. It's ages since I wore one of these!" He smiled at her.

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that? And Allyson too" She sounded like a mother ordering her child about.

"Yes, sir." The Doctor played along as he put on the helmet.

"It's funny, 'cos people back home think that space travel's gonna be all whizzing about and teleports and anti-gravity, but it's not, is it?" Her voice cracks. "It's tough."

"We'll see you later." The Doctor told her confidently.

"Not if I see you first." She laughs softly and pulls his head down to pace a kiss on his visor. Allyson stood back as Ida finished sealing up her suit, watching the Doctor and Rose. A longing look in her eye.

"Let me guess, you love him but he loves her and doesn't know you exist." Ida spoke up. Allyson looks over at her, startled. Ida gives her a reassuring smile. "I've been there."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor, Allyson, and Ida all step into the capsule as Zach starts the count down. Jefferson closes the door and salutes them. Rose waves to them with a smile and the Doctor and Allyson return it. "Release." Zach ordered. The capsule descends the shaft. The three stand in silence as the capsule shakes. "Gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own." Zach told them through the communications device. They switch on their oxygen tanks.

"Don't forget to breath. Breathing's good." Rose's worried voice sounded out of their device.

"Rose, stay off the comm." Zach ordered her.

"Fat chance." She resorted. Allyson gave the Doctor a smile. That was their Rose. The capsule begins to shake violently, way to violently to be safe. The Doctor, Ida, and Allyson all grips the sides trying to stead themselves.

"Doctor?" Rose's voice sounded, they must have felt the shaking too. "Allyson? Doctor, are you all right?"

"Ida, report to me...Doctor?" Zach's forceful voice commanded. The three of them step out of the capsule and look around at the darkness.

"It's all right. We've made it... coming out of the capsule now." The Doctor answered them. They flash their torches around, trying to make out anything.

"What's it like down there?" Rose asked.

"It's hard to tell... some sort of...cave... cavern... it's massive." The Doctor tried to find an accurate word, but couldn't seem to find one.

"Well, this should help. Gravity globe." Ida smiled at them and toss a white ball up into the air. A light floods the entire cavern, revealing an ancient architecture. Etched into the face of the rock was a large face. "That's...that's..." She looked around in awe. "My God, that's beautiful."

"Rose, you can tell Toby, we've found his civilization." The Doctor smiled back at Allyson who flashed him a quick smile before diverting her attention else where.

"Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission. Ida, what about the power source?" Zach asked her. The Doctor, Allyson, and Ida all traipse alongside a rocky wall, Ida holding the torch in front of them.

"We're close. Energy signature indicates north, north wet. Are you getting pictures up there?"

"There's too much interference. We're in your hands."

"Well, we've come this far. There's no turning back." The Doctor made a disgruntled sound.

"Oh, did you have to? No turning back? That's almost as bad as 'nothing can possibly go wrong' or 'this is gonna be the best Christmas Walford's ever had'-" Ida turned to face the Doctor.

"Are you finished?" Allyson lightly smacked his arm.

"Yeah! Finished." He nonchalantly walks off, Allyson close behind him. Allyson keeps behind the Doctor as she tries to rub her pounding head, but gets no relief since the helmet blocks her hand. The voice was back, stronger than ever. It was screaming in her mind. She focused on building a wall like the Doctor had told her after they had first met. It was weak but it kept much of the pain at bay. "Is everything all right up there?"

"Yeah, yeah." Rose answer quickly.

"It's FINE." Zach said flatly.

"Great!" Danny said sarcastically. If Allyson could clearly think she'd have warned the Doctor but she could hardly walk right. The Doctor, Allyson, and Ida come across a metal trap door. The ancient writings that were on the canteen wall were written on the sides.

"We've found something. It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be 'trapdoor'. Not a good word, 'trapdoor'. Never met a trapdoor I like." The Doctor closely examined it.

"The edge is covered with those symbols." Ida shined the torch around the edge.

"Do you think it opens?" Zach asked her.

"That's what trapdoors tend to do." The Doctor told him.

"'Trapdoor' doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach. About 30 feet in diameter." Ida walked around it, still checking it out.

"Any way of opening it?"

"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism." Ida looked around, trying to find a switch or something of the sort.

"I suppose that's the writing, that'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation." Allyson knelled down, the pain in her head getting worse. She clutched her helmet, she let out a silent scream. Nothing escaped her lips as she continued to scream at the top of her lungs. Air just came rushing out.

"Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?" She quickly focused on Zach's voice, trying to draw her attention away from the pain, but it was short lived.

"_Doctor!_" She tried to all out, but the wall was back up, blocking her from him and him from her. She hunched over the ground, the pain radiating down her back.

"What is it? What's he done? what's happening? Rose? What's going on?" The Doctor's urgent voice broke through to her. She couldn't make out the jumble of voices in her head. They all mixed together, morphing with the voice in her mind. "Rose? What is it? Rose?" He turned to face Ida. "I'm going back up." He started to walk back the way they came but quickly stopped when he saw Allyson. "Allyson!" He ignored the commotion over the communication device. Allyson was in pain and he couldn't figure out why, nor could he help her. He places his helmet against her and tries to break through the wall, but finds it as impenetrable as before. "Allyson! You have to let me in!" He told her. She let out another silent scream.

The ground rumbles, Ida points her torch at the trapdoor and it begins to open. "Doctor! It's opening!" Everything begins to fall from the shaking. Rocks shower down on them. The Doctor and Ida fall over, as the ground shakes. Ida lets out a whimper. The trapdoor completely opens. Smoke billows out from the ground that is still shaking.

"The gravity field, it's going! We're losing orbit! We're gonna fall into the black hole!" Zach's panicked voice came through the communication devices. The Doctor sits up and checks to make sure Allyson was unharmed. He looks between the trapdoor and the silently screaming Allyson.

**"The Pit is open. And I am free."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Sorry for the late update! Terribly, terribly sorry. I just got a new job and a new cat and my truck has been acting up and ugggggh one thing after another! Plus I had a hard time concentrating on writing this for some odd reason. But hopefully after this I can get back into the habit of like every 3 days, which might become like every 4 days with my new job. It's very time consuming =_=.

Anywho, we don't see a lot of Allyson talking, but she probably still wont talk much because of how people react. However, everyone here seems pretty accepting so this might bring her out some. Yes, Allyson is effected by the Beast's telepathy. I would imagine she would because that's basically the only way she can communicate and she doesn't have the blocking skill like the Doctor does, or because he's Time Lord he just can't hear it. But Allyson's such a curious case that she can. I feel bad for putting her through so much pain, but who know what you uncover through pain! Any questions you can ask me. I might answer, I might now. Depends =)

Tatty-bye, loves!


	9. Chapter 9: Satan's Pit

**Chapter 9: The Satan Pit**

"Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor? Allyson? Ida? Are you there?" Rose's voice was lost on the Doctor as he focused on Allyson, who was still silently screaming from pain. Ida stood back, stunned and confused on why the girl was in pain. The Doctor slammed his helmet against hers and closed his eyes. He needed to see what was doing this to her, but he came across the same wall.

"Allyson, listen to my voice. You have to let me in." He told her frantically. Pain seared through Allyson's mind, singing any thoughts she had. She could barely hear the Doctor talking but she focused hard on it, anything to get her mind off the torture. She felt the barriers around her thoughts, stopping her from calling out and the Doctor from coming in. She clawed at them, trying to escape the pain. The pain dug into her like razor sharp knives but she didn't quit. The Doctor continued focusing on the walls in Allyson's mind, reluctant to dig at them and hurt her, but he felt her hands on his arms. She was lightly clawing at his suit. She wanted him to dig, to help free her.

He started to pull away at the bricks. He felt her body begin to tremble and shake at the additional pain. The wall gave way and the Doctor nearly crumbled with agony at the pain that came rushing through. "_Doctor!"_ Allyson's tortured thought's reached him. He was still frantic, he didn't know how to stop her pain. Images flash of when they first met and when he altered her thought process, allowing her to talk telepathically. Regret flooded him as he reached in and snapped the synapses. Allyson stopped screaming, the pain was gone. She heaved out a sigh of relief. The Doctor pulled away from her, glad to see her free from pain but still upset that he had to sever her only form of communication. She reached up and put a gloved hand on his helmet, a look of understanding in her eyes. Rose's voice snapped the Doctor back into the present.

"No! Sorry, We're fine. Still here!" He told Rose who was obviously filled with worry. He tried to cover some of the anguish he felt but didn't completely succeed, but Rose didn't seem to notice.

"You could've said, you stupid b-" The communication devices screech, cutting everyone off. The Doctor winces. Allyson jumped slightly.

"WHOA! Careful! Anyway, it's all of us, me, Allyson, and Ida. Hello! But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm." The Doctor and Allyson stand, still a little wobbly the Doctor helps her over to the trapdoor. They both peer down into a pitch black hole.

"How deep is it?" Zach asked them.

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes on forever." The Doctor squinted, trying to see the bottom.

"'The pit is open.'" Rose recited. "That's what the voice said."

"But there's nothing?" Zach was confused. "I mean.. There's NOTHING coming out?"

"No, no. No sign of 'the Beast'." The Doctor looked up above the pit for anything that might be in the air.

"It said 'Satan'." Rose said lowly.

"Come on, Rose. Keep it together." The Doctor encouraged her.

"Is there no such thing?" Rose asked quietly, afraid of the answer. "Doctor?" She asked since he didn't reply. The Doctor stood silently, deciding on whether or not to answer. Allyson looks up at him and reassuringly grabs his hand as he turns away from the pit. "Doctor, tell me there's no such thing. Allyson? Can you tell me?" Allyson frowned, she wouldn't be able too.

"Allyson can't talk anymore now, Rose." The Doctor said somberly. They could almost feel Rose freeze up.

"Ida? I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately." Zach ordered.

"But, we've come all this way!" Ida whined.

"Okay, that was an order. WITH-DRAW. With that thing open, the whole planet's shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole. So this thing stops right now." He said strictly.

"But it's not much better up there with the Ood." Ida countered.

"I'm initiating Strategy Nine, so I need the three of you back up top immediately, no ar-" Ida switched off her communications device. The Doctor and Allyson both raise their eyebrows.

"What do you think?" She asked the Doctor, since apparently Allyson couldn't talk anymore.

"I think they gave an order."

"Yeah, but, what do YOU think?" The Doctor turns and puts a foot up on the edge of the trapdoor, Allyson stood reluctantly back.

"It said 'I am the temptation'." He peered over the edge.

"If, if there's something in there. Why's it still hiding?"

"Maybe, we opened the prison but not the cell."

"We should go down. I'd go. What about you?" Ida asked them both.

"Oh! Oh, in a second, but then again..." He laughs lightly. "That is so human. Were angels fear to tread. Even now, standing on the edge. It's that feeling you get. Yeah?" He looks down into the pit, mesmerized. "Right at the back of your head. That impulse...that strange little impulse. That made little voice saying 'go on, go on, go on, go over, go on.' maybe it's relying on that. For once in my life...Officer Scott...Allyson...I'm going to say.." He glanced between the two girls. "Retreat." He steps away from the trapdoor and Allyson breathes a sigh of relief. "Now I know I'm getting old." He turned on the communicator. "Rose, we're coming back."

"Best news I've hear all day!" You could hear the smile on her lips. The Doctor smiled.

"Right then, on we go!" They begin to trudge back to the capsule, leaving the trapdoor alone for now. "What's Strategy 9?" The Doctor asked after a moment of silence, a small pain back in his heart because he knew it was his fault. If Allyson had been able to say anything she would have, she always does. Even if it's just mindless chatter, it filled the empty void in his head.

"Open the airlocks, we'll be safe inside the lock-down, the Ood will get thrown out into the vacuum." Ida answered him.

"So we're going back to a slaughter?" The Doctor frowned, not happy at all with that decision. They walked up to the capsule and Ida turned to face him.

"The devil's work." She told him. She opened the capsule door and let Allyson and the Doctor enter before herself. "Okay, we're in. Bring us up." She told Zach.

"Ascension in." Winding could be heard from above them"... 3...2...1.." The winding stops and the lights go out. The three of them look around confused.

"**This is the Darkness. This is my domain.**" A demonic voice echoed through the silence. "**You little things that live in the light, clinging to your feeble Suns, which die in the -**"

"That's not the Ood. Something's talking through them." Zach spoke through the communicator.

"**Only the Darkness remains.**"

"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base 6 representing the Torchwood archive. You will identify yourself."

"**You know my name.**" Allyson frowned, well that's not very reassuring sounding.

"What do you want?" Zach ordered.

"**You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave.**" Allyson gripped the Doctor's hand tightly.

"If you are the Beast," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "then answer me this: which one? Hmm? 'Cos the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions that there are planets in the sky. The Archivits, Pordonity, Christianity, Pash-Pash, New Judaism, Sanclar, Church of the Tin Vagabond - which devil are you?" The Doctor asked the voice.

"**All of them.**"

"What, then you're the truth behind the myth?"

"**This one knows me - as I know him. The killer of his own kind.**" Allyson and Ida give the Doctor a astonished look, but he ignored them.

"How did you end up on this rock?" He chose to not acknowledge the accusation that he knew was so true. He was the last.

"**The disciples of the Light rose up against me. And chained me in the pit for all eternity.**"

"When was this?"

"**Before time.**"

"What does THAT mean?"

"**Before time.**"

"What does 'before time' MEAN?"

"**Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this universe was created.**"

"That's impossible. No life could have existed back then." The Doctor frowned.

"**Is that your religion?**"

"It's a belief."

"**You know nothing. All of you. So small.**" Images flash through their mind. The first was of Zach. "**The Captain, so scared of command.**" Then to Jefferson. "**The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife.**" Then to Ida, who shifts uncomfortably. "**The scientist, still running from daddy.**" Then to Danny. "**The little boy who lied.**" Then to Toby. "**The virgin.**" Then to Rose. "**The doomed girl, so far away from home. The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon**." Then to Allyson. "**The lost girl, who started the war, but lost to herself and all others.**" Allyson started to panic, what does that mean? She was a villain? She was a bad person? Her grip on the Doctor's hand tightened as he looked down at her, trying to figure her out.

"Doctor, what does it mean?" Rose asked, her fear evident in her voice.

"Rose, Allyson, don't listen." He told them quietly, but he continued to find himself distracted by what it said about Allyson.

"What does it mean?" Rose asked again.

"**You will die... and I will live.**" An image of a horned beast roaring flashed in their minds, everyone gasps and stumble backwards, except the Doctor who's still staring at Allyson.

"What the hell was that?" Danny shook with fear as everyone began speaking at once.

"I had that thing inside my head." Toby sounded petrified.

"Doctor, what did it mean?"

"What do we do? Jefferson?"

"Captain? What's the situation on Strategy Nine?"

"Zach, what do we do?"

"What if I can fix it? The black hole, everything's true."

"Captain, report."

"We've lost pictures-"

"Doctor, how did it know of -"

"Did anyone get -"

"Jefferson?"

"Stop-" The Doctor tried but was cut off.

"What did it mean?"

"Everyone just stop -" He tried again.

"What do we do?"

"Report." The Doctor nods to Allyson and she pulls how her sonic and points it into the communications device and turns it on. A horrible screech emits from the speakers. The mindless babble stops and everyone remains silent.

"If you want voices in the dark, then listen to mine; that thing is playing on very basic fears. Darkness - childhood nightmares, all that stuff."

"But that's how the devil works." Danny rebutted.

"Or a good psychologist."

"But, how did it know about my father?" Ida looked at him, seeking answers.

"Okay, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine? Hmm? Cos I'll tell you what I can see: humans. Brilliant humans. Humans who travel all the way across space. Flying in a tiny little rocket into orbit of a black hole!" He laughed at that. "Just for the sake of discovery, that's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing. All of you. The captain - his officer - his elder - his genius - his friends. All with one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him -" A loud bang interrupts the Doctor's speech. The Doctor's, Allyson's, and Ida's heads all snap up.

"The cable's snapped!" Ida yelled.

"Get out!" He shoved open the door and pushed the two girls out before jumping out himself. Just then the cable destroys the capsule they were just in. They stood up and dusted themselves off. "How much air have we got?" He looked at Ida.

"60 minutes." She checked the device on her wrist. "55." The Doctor nods and looks over Allyson, checking to be sure she's all right. Ida walks over to the wreckage and inspects it.

"We've got all this cable - we might as well use it. The drum's disconnected - we could adapt it." She begins to gather up the cable. "Feed it through."

"And then what?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Abseil. Into the pit." She told him matter-of-factly.

"Abseil. Right."

"We're running out of air with no way back. It's the only thing we CAN do. Even if it's the last thing we ever achieve." She gave him a hard look.

"We'll get back. Rose is up there." He grabbed Allyson's hand.

"Well, maybe the key to that is finding out what's in the pit."

"Well," He thought a bit. "It's half of a good plan."

"What's the other half?" Ida asked him, confused.

"I go down. Not you." Allyson's grip turned into a death hold. He turned to look at her. She had fear in her eyes and she shook her head violently. She didn't want him to go down there. Ida resumed gathering up the cable, ignoring the two. "Allyson I have to. I can't let either of you two go down." She frowned at him. He put his hands on the sides of her helmet and looked her in the eye. "I'll get the both of you off this rock, even if it's the last thing I do." Allyson held his stare for a moment and then looked down, giving a small nod. He turned and began to help Ida with the cabling.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor and Ida were securing the cable, so that way the Doctor can abseil down the pit. Allyson stood back, a gloomy look on her face. "That should hold it. How's it gone?" She looked on as the cable unravels down the pit.

"Fine! Should work... doesn't feel like such a good idea, now." He walks up to the edge of the pit. "Ha, there it is again. That itch." He bobs up and down on the edge. "Go down, go down, go down, go down, go down." Allyson was uncomfortable, she just wanted to run up and yank him back.

"The urge to jump. Do you know where it comes from, that sensation? Genetic heritage. Ever since we were primates in the trees. It's out body's way of testing us. Calculating whether or not we can reach the next branch." The Doctor gave a thoughtful look.

"No, that's not it. That's too kind. It's not the urge to jump, it's deeper than that. It's the urge to fall!" He jumped over the side of the trapdoor and down into the pit. Allyson rushed forward, in a vain attempt to catch him.

"Doctor!" Ida pressed a button the cable stops. "Are you okay?"

"Not bad, thanks. The wall of the pit, seems to be the same as the cavern, just... not much of it. There's a crust about 20 feet down and then, nothing. Just the pit. Okay, then. Lower me down." Allyson didn't like how she couldn't actually see him. She couldn't even talk to him now, all she could do was sit and take up oxygen.

"Well, here we go, then." Ida pressed the button again and the cable begins to lower the Doctor slowly back into the pit.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe. In the myths and legends of a million worlds. Earth, Draconia, Velconsadine, Daemos, the Kaled God of War. It's the same image, over and over again. Maybe, that idea came from somewhere. Bleeding through, the thought at the back of every sentient mind." The Doctor was still being lowered down into the pit, still not seeing the bottom. Ida and Allyson sat by the edge of the trapdoor, silently.

"Emanating from here?" Ida asked him.

"Could be."

"But if this is the original, does that make it real? Does that make it the actual devil, though?" She pondered.

"Well, if that's what you want to believe. Maybe that's what the devil is, in the end. An idea." The Doctor's voice wondered off right before the cable jerked to a halt.

"That's it." Ida told him as she looked over at the barrel, "That's all we've got. You getting any sort of readout?"

"Nothing. Could be miles to go, yet. Or, could be 30 feet. No way of telling." There was a pause and a pit formed in Allyson's stomach, she knew exactly what he was thinking. "I could survive 30 feet."

"Oh no you don't." Ida detested and began to press buttons on her wrist. "I'm pulling you back up." The cable beings to pull the Doctor up but it jerks to a stop again. "What're you doing?!" Ida yelled at him. Allyson began to panic and started hacking into the system on her own device.

"You bring me back, then we're just gonna sit there and run out of air. I've gotta go down." The device begins to wind back up, bringing the Doctor back. Ida gave Allyson a thankful look, her eyes bridging with tears. "Allyson, stop it!" He was obviously trying to override her actions but couldn't. "I've got to find out what's down there!"

"But you can't. Doctor, you can't." Ida was scared, she didn't want to die down here.

"Call it an act of faith." He told her as he started to unhook himself from the cable. "Now Allyson you have to let me do this. This is out only chance of getting out of here."

"But, we don't want to die on our own." She cried.

"I know." He told her silently as he unhooked another hook as the cable came to a stop. "I didn't ask - have you got any sort of faith, or?" He asked, trying to draw her attention away from what he was about to do.

"Not really. I was brought up Neo Classic, congregational, because of my mum, she was.." Ida looked up, trying not to cry some more. "My old mum. But no, I never believed."

"Neo Classic," The Doctor sounded confused. "Have they got a devil?"

"No, not as such. Just um, the things that men do." She looked down, embarrassed.

"Same thing in the end." The Doctor shrugged.

"What about you?" There was a long pause.

"I believe... I believe I haven't seen everything, I don't know. It's funny, isn't it? The things you make up - the rules. If that thing had said it came from BEYOND the universe, I'd believe it, but BEFORE the universe. Impossible. doesn't fit my rule. Still, that's why I keep traveling. To be proved wrong. Thank you, Ida, Allyson." Tears ran down Allyson's face as she thought about how this might be the end to them all.

"Don't go!" Ida yelled, suddenly standing.

"If they get back in touch, if you talk to Rose... just tell her.." He pauses, and Allyson wants to cry even harder because she knows what he wants to tell her. "Tell her I... oh she knows." He whispered. "Allyson, I'm sorry I couldn't help you find who you really are. I shouldn't have let you come down here with me, at least up there you could leave this planet, and have a life. You're so brilliant, you could change any world you landed on." He gave a light chuckle. Allyson sat in the dirt and began to write out a message for Ida to tell the Doctor. "But, I -"

"Doctor, she's wants to tell you something." Ida chuckled. "She says, 'Don't apologize, I enjoyed the timed we had' and that 'If you die she'll find a way to bring you back and beat you to a pulp'." The Doctor laughed and sniffled. He unhooked the last clip and fell into the darkness. Ida and Allyson stared down into the pit, knowing that the Doctor was probably gone forever.

"Doctor? Are you there? Doctor, Ida, Allyson? Can you hear me? Are you there, Doctor?" Rose's voice echoed in the cavern.

"Allyson's fine." Ida told Rose.

"And the Doctor?" Dread filled her voice.

"He's gone." Ida said after a pause.

"What do you mean, 'he's gone'?" Rose demanded.

"He fell. Into the pit. And I don't know how deep it is - miles and miles and miles." Ida's voice faded off.

"But... what do you mean 'he fell'?" Rose didn't want to accept it.

"We couldn't stop him. He said your name..." Ida started crying again.

"Ida? There's no way of reaching you." Zach's voice cut in. "No cable, no back-up... you're 10 miles down..." Ida and Allyson continued to stare at the pit. "We can't get there."

"You should see this place, Zach." Ida looked around, holding back her tears. "It's beautiful. Well, I wanted to discover things..." A tear falls down her cheek. "And here I am."

"We've got to abandon the base." Zach told her, but the look on Ida's face tells Allyson that she already knew. "I'm declaring this mission unsafe. All we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again."

"But we'll never find out what it was?" Ida frowned.

"Well, maybe that's best."

"Yeah." She looked down at the ground, a long pause filled the large space.

"Officer Scott-"

"It's all right. Just go. Good luck." She cut him off, not wanting to hear it.

"Thank you." And the line went dead. The two women sat in silence for a while. Allyson checked their air levels and frowned. She had been trying to keep her heart beat slow to preserve oxygen, but they were still running out faster than she'd liked.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor opened his eyes, surprised to be alive and sits up. His helmet was shattered, he gasped and his hand flew to his mouth. "I'm breathing." He breathed out in wonder. He takes off his broken helmet and looks around. "Air cushion to support the fall." He turns on his communicator. "You can breath down here, Ida, Allyson." Static fills the silence. "Can you hear me?" But no one responds.

The ground starts to shake and loud rumbling noise sounds from above. "A rocket." The Doctor whispers, knowing that Rose was leaving him and Allyson. The three of them were trapped. The noise of the rocket soon vanished as it flew further and further away. The Doctor walks over to a wall and shines his torch on it. Crude drawings of stick figures battling a horned beast decorated the wall. "History of some big battle. Man against Beast. I dunno if you're getting this, Ida, Allyson. Hope so. Anyway, they defeated the Beast and imprisoned it."

He shines his light around and the beam falls onto a vase that's sitting on a stand. He looks surprised as he shines the torch back on to the drawings. He sees stick figures carrying identical vases on their heads. He cautiously approaches the vase and sees there's another in line with the first one. "Or maybe that's the key." He lightly touches the vase and they both light up. "Or the gate, or the bars.." A quiet growl catches the Doctor's attention. He quickly turns and his mouth drops. A large horned beast, exactly like the one that flashed in their minds, was before him. Chained to the wall, it roars at him.

"I accept that you exist. I don't have to accept what you are, but you're physical existence, I'll give you that." The Beast growls at him and the Doctor takes a few steps back. "But I don't understand. I was EXPECTED down here. I was given a safe landing, and air. You need me for something. What for?" The Beast lunges forwards at him, straining against the chains. The Doctor looked out of his element.

"Have I got to... I dunno, beg an audience? Or is there a ritual? Some sort of incantation or summons or spell - all these things I don't believe in - are they real?" The Beast just stares at him blankly.

"Speak to me! Tell me!" He yelled at the beast, but he got no reply. "You won't talk. Or, you CAN'T talk. Hold on, hold on. Wait a minute, just let me..." He pauses and ruffles his hair as he thinks hard. "Oh! No. Yes! No... think it through, you SPOKE before. I heard your voice. An intelligent voice. No, more than that - brilliant! But not as brilliant as Allyson. But, looking at you now... all I can see.." The Beast growls as time. "Is beast. The animal. Just... the body. You're just the body, the physical form! What's happened to your mind? Hmm? Where's it gone? Where's that intelligence?" He glances upwards and it clicks. The issues with the Ood and Allyson, all of it making sense.

The Doctor flashes the symbols on the wall. "You're imprisoned. Long time ago. Before the universe, after, sideways, in-between, doesn't matter. The positioning is PERFECT. It's absolutely - it's eternal. Oh, YES! Open the prison - the gravity field collapses! This planet falls into the black hole! You escape, you die. BRILLIANT! But that's just the body. The body is trapped, that's all. The devil is just an idea. In all those civilizations - just an idea." The Doctor's eyes race back and forth as he works it all out. "But an idea is hard to kill. An idea could escape. The mind - the mind of the great Beast - the mind can escape! Oh, but that's it! You didn't give me air - your jailers did! They set this up! All those years ago! They need me alive. Because if you're escaping, then I've gotta stop you." The Beast lets out a menacing roar as the Doctor picks up a rock.

"If I destroy your prison, your body is destroyed. Your mind with it." He lifts the rock over his head, prepared to strike. He brings the rock down but stops, and drops it. "But then you're clever enough to use this whole system against me. If I destroy this planet, I destroy the gravity field. The rocket. The rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole. I'll have to sacrifice Rose." He looks at the Beast with a disgusted look as it laughs mirthlessly.

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Ida sat on the edge of the trapdoor, her breathing becoming labored. Allyson gently pulled her away from the pit, not wanting her to fall. Allyson knew that she was running low on oxygen and was suffering from it. Allyson checked her tank and took a few calming breaths. She checked Ida's and saw her's on 0 percent. Any moment now Ida would pass out.

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"So, that's the trap. Or the test or the final judgement. I don't know. But if I kill you, I kill them." The Beast laughs at him again. "Except that implies - in the big grand scheme of Gods and Devils - that their just a victim. But I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi gods and would-be gods - out of all that - out of that whole pantheon - if I believe in one things... just one - well two - things. I believe in ROSE and ALLYSON." He said with passion, then without a second thought he grabs the stone and smashes the vase. The earth starts to rumble as he smashes the other one.

"This is your freedom! Free to DIE. You're going into that black hole and I'm riding with you." Flames erupt from the Beasts mouth as it writhes around and burns up.

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Ida continues to pant as the cave shakes, she was getting light headed now. Allyson was sitting behind Ida, messing with her oxygen controls, when she took a deep breath and switched Ida's air tubes. Giving the woman her own air.

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The Doctor runs. He runs away from the Beast, away from the vases, away from the fact he had just doomed everyone, when a blast of air launches him backwards and straight into something old. Something old and blue. He cracks his eyes open to see what it is and smiles. The TARDIS sits right over him, as if she was waiting for him. He laughs with delight.

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A computer screen within the shuttle shows the planet falling into the black hole. Zach, Danny, and Rose all sit in the rocket. "The planet's gone. I'm sorry." Danny looks back at her, but she just remains quiet.

"Accelerate. I did my best. But hey - first human beings to fall inside a black hole. How about that? History." Zach tried to smile back at her. Rose brushed the tears from her eyes and they all hold on tight as the shuttle shakes violently. They all close their eyes and brace for their deaths when it all stops. Silence falls and the shaking is gone.

"What happened?" Rose's voice cracked. They all lean to one side as the rocket begins to turn.

"We're turning." Zach looks confused at the screen. "We're turning around. We're turning away!" They all let out a laugh.

"Sorry about the hijack, Captain. This is the good ship TARDIS." The Doctor's voice springs into the intercom. Rose's mouth drops open and relief floods her heart. "Now, first thing's first - have you got a Rose Tyler on board?"

"I'm here! It's me! Oh, my God!" Rose nearly giggled with delight. She puts her hands over her mouth and laughs. "Where are you?"

"I'm just towing you home. Gravity - schmavity. My people practically invented black holes." The Doctor brushed it off. "Well - in fact, they did. In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and captain - can we do a swap? Say, if you give me Rose Tyler - I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

"She's alive!" Zach breathed delighted.

"Yes! Thank God!" Danny smiled.

"Yeah, safe and sound thanks to Allyson." His voice held a sad tone to it but he quickly buried it. "She's perfectly fine. But I couldn't save the Ood. I only had time for one trip. They went down with the planet." A sad pause arose. "Ah! Entering clear space - end of the line - mission closed." Rose smiles to herself, happy, relieved, and proud of the Doctor all at once.

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Rose opens the door to the TARDIS and runs to the Doctor and embraces him. He lifts her off the floor, so happy to see her okay and alive. They both giggle when Rose sobers up some. "Where's Allyson?" The Doctor's smile quickly drops. A pain erupts in Rose's chest as she fears the worst.

"She's unconscious, but she'll be fine." He didn't want to add the 'I hope' because he was afraid he'd scare her. He and Rose walk over to the main console and he pressed a button. "Zach? We'll be off, now. Have a good trip home. And the next time you get curious about something - oh.. what's the point? You'll just go blundering in. The human race..." The Doctor shook his head.

"But Doctor, what did you find down there? That creature - what was it?" Ida asked.

"I don't know! Never did decipher that writing. But that's good! Day I know everything? Might as well stop." The Doctor brushed off her question.

"What do you think it was? Really?" Rose asked him seriously.

"I think.." He began but paused, reconsidering. "We beat it. That's good enough for me." He smiled.

"It said I was gonna die in battle." She stared at him, scared. He put his hands on her shoulders and stared her in the eye.

"Then it lied." He told her confidently. She smiles, reassured. "Right, onwards, upwards - Ida - see you again, maybe!" He spoke into the communicator again.

"I hope so." A smile could be heard in Ida's voice.

"And thanks, boys!" Rose thanked Zach and Danny.

"Hang on though, Doctor. You never really said, you three, who are you?"

"Oh," He began, "The stuff of legends." He smiled at Rose, he goes to pull a lever when Ida spoke up again.

"Oh, Doctor. Thank Allyson for me. She saved my life." The Doctor's smile faltered some. "I hope she knows how much I appreciate it."

"Oh, I'm sure she knows." He pulled the lever and they were off. The Doctor and Rose stood in silence for a while.

"Can we go see her?" Rose asked, concern in her voice. The Doctor silently grabbed her hand and led her back into the med-bay. They walked into Allyson's room and Rose immediately runs to her side. "Oh my God." She breathed. A oxygen mask covered her face along with small cuts and scrapes. Rose looked up at the Doctor. "What happened?"

"I wish I knew. Ida told me she switched their tanks without her knowing. When the gravity field collapsed rubble started to fall and I guess Allyson protected her. I don't know how she was alive, her helmet was broken." He stared down at the girl. "She also has some bruised ribs." Rose gently cradled Allyson's hand in her own. They both stood silently watching and listening to her breathing and heart beat. "Rose, you should rest." He gently pried her away from Allyson.

"No, I feel fine." But she let out a large yawn and her eyes began to droop.

"I'll get you if anything changes." The Doctor comforted her. Rose stood silent for a bit before nodding and leaving the room. The Doctor walked over to the machines and began to press buttons. He grabbed a piece of paper from the machine and read it. He looked over at Allyson, completely lost. He checked her vitals and was just dumbfounded. He stared down at the girl. The frail, frightened little girl that has done so much. He couldn't help but wonder.

"What are you?"

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**A/N:** I know I'm a bad terrible horrible horrendous person for not posting enough. I'M SO SORRY. T_T This past week just hasn't been good and I know it's an awful excuse. I'm going to try and really focus more on this okay?

Any questions feel free to ask.

Tatty-bye, loves!


	10. Chapter 10: Love and Monsters

**Chapter 10: Love and Monsters**

A blonde man was running up a hill, following a familiar sound. His heart beat fast at the faint sound of the TARDIS materializing. He stops on top of the hill to catch his breath and spots a blue police phone box that sits, out of place, surrounded by abandoned buildings. The man stares at the TARDIS as he slowly walks towards it. He stares her up and down, amazed, and places a hand on the door. "Doctor! Doctor, the trap!" A woman's voice reaches him. He looks around before quickly following the voice.

He enters one of the empty warehouses and various shouts and random noises echo from the building. "Where's he gone? Can you see him?" A male voice yelled.

"There he is! Stop - no! Allyson, watch out! There!" The girls voice echoed back.

"Where!?"

"There! Over there!" The man starts dashing up the metal stairs, heading towards the noise. After sever flights of stairs he comes across a long corridor, which has ominous growling noises emanating from it. A bright light shines from behind a door and the man approaches it. He cautiously opens the door to reveal a ferocious snarling monster, who roars at him.

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The same guy from before is now sitting in front of his video camera. "That's what it did. It went 'RRROOOAAAARRR!' And if you think that was the most exciting day of my life- wait 'til you hear the rest. Oh boy..." The man shook his head as he let out a small laugh. "So there I was, with that thing going RAAAH!"

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The monster slowly approaches the man, snarling at him hungrily. The Doctor suddenly appears with Allyson by his side. The Doctor was holding a large pork chop in front of them and just out of the monsters reach. "Here, boy! Eat the food! C'mon, look at the lovely food! Isn't that nice? Isn't it? Yes it is!" The monster turns to face the Doctor and Allyson, but doesn't look at the meat. The Doctor notices the man standing silently by in shock. "Get out of here, quickly!" The Doctor yelled at him. "Have some, boy! Wouldn't you like a porky-choppy then?" The monster approached them again, only it's eyes were laid on Allyson. The Doctor quickly noticed this and pulled her behind him. "I said, run!" He yelled at the man just as Rose comes rushing in with a loud cry and flings the contents of a blue bucket onto the monster. The monster howls and clutches at it's face. "Wrong one! You made it worse!" The Doctor pouted.

"You said blue!" Rose defended herself.

"I said 'not blue'!" Rose looks fearfully at the monster, who was now staring at her, she lets out a whimper and Allyson quickly grabs her and rushes off with her. "Oh... hold on!" The Doctor slams the door shut and chases after them. The man continues to stare in shock at the scene before him. The small group run about, screaming and hollering as a small chase takes place. Rose was being chased by the monster who had Allyson right on its tail with a red bucket. They all run back and forth in the corridor, the man just standing at the end in complete bewilderment as the group ran around. Some how Rose ended up with the red bucket and the monster was chasing Allyson. The Doctor runs through a door was but stops and takes a good look at the man.

"Hold on... don't I know you?" The man just runs away, down the stairs and out of the building not stopping. He runs outside and leans up against the brick wall, catching his breath. The faint sound of the TARDIS engines reach his ears and he sighs.

**"You can't imagine it - the Doctor's machine - the most beautiful sound in the world."**

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"Yet that wasn't the first time I met the Doctor - and it certainly wasn't the last - ohhh no. I just put that bit at the beginning because it's a brilliant opening. But, er, this is the story of me and my encounters with alien life-forms. But be warned, because it is gonna get scarrrrry." He leans menacingly towards the camera and bares his teeth. "I - I need a remote control zoom, I'm having to do that with the lean - the scarrrry. But look, don't worry, 'cos it's not just me sitting here talking - Ohhh no."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

He now stands on an ordinary suburban street talking into his camera. "That's Ursula on camera." He points the camera at Ursula who waved a gloved hand at the camera.

"Hello!" She smiled.

"My good friend, Ursula Blake, and my brand-new camera." He points the camera at a beige-colored terraced house in the middle of the street. The camera then is shifted to the man standing in front of the house. "That was my family home, down there." He brings his voice down to a whisper. "I did try, but there's two women live there now and they're a bit…severe." He grimaced at the camera. "So… never mind. But that - is where it all started. That's when I first met the Doctor."

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Everything is slightly blurry and faded as a small child walks through a simple house, Elton's home. Everything was dark. "**What was it... erm... I must have been 3 or 4 years old. Middle of the night, went downstairs, and there was this - man.**" The little boy walked down the stairs and turned into the living room. Standing there by the window was a tall man with brown hair. It was the Doctor, he turned at looked at Elton, a distraught look upon his face. Then everything fades.

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Elton, now a full grown man, was staring at his childhood home, reminiscing about the time. "So what happened? Elton, tell me. Why was he there?" Ursula asked him.

"I don't know. I - I still don't know. All those years ago.." Elton paused, completely lost in thought. He quietly waves his hand at the camera and everything goes black.

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The camera was on Elton in his bedroom again. "Okay, first thing's first, my name is Elton. Er... not to be confused with Elton John. I left school, got a job, Transport Manager, Rated Logistics, modest little haulage company, perfectly normal life, and then... it all went mad."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was walking around, shopping in a busy London street. He carried a few bags and was currently window shopping. "**Two years ago, I was in town, I was stocking up. You know, nothing special, all the usual stuff, when all of the sudden...**" As Elton walked by a window a plastic dummy raised its hand and shattered the glass. The sudden noise causes Elton to freeze in his tracks and stare in shock as other dummies broke windows and began to march out into the sidewalk. People ran about, screaming in fear. "**Shop window dummies! Come to life!**"

The dummies marched through the streets, shooting people with beams of red electricity. Some shot at telephone lines, causing electrical fires and more chaos. They smashed up cars all the while people continued to panic. Elton bolts from the scene and nearly gets hit by a confused driver. "**I survived... obviously...**"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

On a different street in London, Elton was walking casually in the mists of the other ordinary people who were going about their daily business. But something catches Elton's eye. "**12 months later, I'm back in town. I'm up west, looking for a new suit, something nice and smart, when I hear this plane overhead.**" A loud humming sound captured Elton's and other shoppers attention as the look up to see a large spacecraft ejecting clouds of black smoke. The ship flew dangerously low and crashed into Big Ben, ripping the clock apart. The bell let out a loud ring one last time as the ship destroyed the tower. Everyone looked on in horror. "**But it wasn't over yet, ' cos then... Christmas Day...**"

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Elton was sleeping soundly in his bed now. His blankets pulled up to his chest. "**I'm in bed fast asleep, nice and cosy, quarter to 8 in the morning, when all of a sudden -"** The window a few feet from the foot of his bed explodes. Glass fly's into his room, covering the floor with hazardous shards. Elton jolts awake at the sudden noise. "**SMASH!** **And I was stuck in bed, right, 'cos there was glass everywhere! And I was barefoot! I had to invent a rudimentary pulley system, just to reach my boots! And by the time I'd done that..."** Elton had his boots on as he walked over to his shattered window. He hazily looked up to see the Sycorax spaceship. He gapes at the massive object. "**And that's when it all started happening. That's how I met Ursula -"**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Ursula sat smiling at the camera on a bench. "**That's how I met Victor Kennedy-**"

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Mr, Kennedy stood above Elton with his hand raised, poised to strike him. "You stupid man!" He yelled.

"**And that's how I met Jackie Tyler -"**

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Jackie was crouched in front of a washer in a launderette. "Oh, you don't meet many Eltons!" She smiled.

"**And that's how I finally met the Doctor- and realized the truth."**

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Elton was currently sitting in front of the camera. His head in is hands, looking dejected. He sniffled and shut off the camera, collecting himself. Afterwards, he turned on the camera and wiped his nose and his eyes, erasing any evidence that he had been crying. "Um, I should say, this isn't my whole life. It's not all... spaceships and stuff, 'cos I'm into all sorts of things. Er... I like football... I like a drink. I like Spain, and if there's one thing I really love, Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra - 'cos you can't beat a bit of ELO." He smiled lightly.

He switched on "Mr Blue Sky" and was dancing around the room. Jumping up and down just dancing. He stopped to play some air drums and whirred around on his chair.

He sat back at his desk, in front of the camera, in better spirits. "So - great big spaceship hanging over London. Imagine the theories."

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Elton typed away on his computer, researching on what he had witnessed, when sparks and smoke fly from the monitor. The screen lets out a loud pop and goes black. Elton jumps backwards, shocked. "**The Internet was on meltdown. But I kept on digging. Something was going on - ohh yes."** Elton manages to pull up a website titled 'My Invasion Blog'. The background was an image of the Doctor and a girl with black curly hair against a falling snowflake background. "**And then one day, on some obscure little blog by someone called Ursula Blake, it was like a chance in a million. It was him - it was that man again but the photo was new, it was taken on Christmas Day but Christmas was just gone. And he looked exactly the same.**"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton and Ursula sat on a bench in a park, talking about the Doctor. "His name is the Doctor and the girl is Allyson." Ursula pointed to the girl in a picture she had set as her blog's wallpaper.

"Doctor what?"

"That's all anyone knows. On Christmas Day I was taking photos all over the place. I went mad with it all. Spaceships and lasers and everything. We all went to Trafalgar Square that night, 'cos everyone was celebrating - just being alive. And I snapped them in passing, that's all. He was just some bloke with a girl. I didn't realize he was significant, until Mr, Skinner pointed it out." Ursula explained to Elton.

"Who's Mr, Skinner?" He raised an eyebrow at her, confused.

"Oh, there's a few of us. The Inner Sanctum, all studying this Doctor." Elton slid over on the bench, closer to Ursula.

"I've seen him. The Doctor - I swear to you, I saw him when I was a kid. He was in my house, and he was downstairs. But I've never seen her." He pointed to Allyson in the photo. Ursula frowned slightly.

"Yeah, we don't really know much about her. She just started appearing recently. Always by his side, but never talks. But don't tell me - he looked exactly the same as he does now." She grinned at him.

"Yes - yes!" He smiled back, amazed. " Oh my God. You believe me!" She grinned back.

"You're not the only one, you know.." They both get up and begin to walk around the park.

"**So that's how I met Ursula - all thanks to the Doctor. Turns out we read all the same sites and she only lived half a mile away. She was like a proper mate. Poor Ursula.**" He trailed off, reminiscing of the past. "**But like she said, there was this little community - the select few, all with their stories of the Doctor.**"

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A group of friend sat crowded around a table in a basement, they were all talking and laughing. They told jokes and other funny stories just bonding over the simple fact that the Doctor had brought them all together. "**This little gang used to meet up, underneath the old library on Macateer Street. Mr, Skinner, first name Colin, but we always called him Mr, Skinner. I don't know why, we just did."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mr, Skinner was standing in front of the small group, giving a presentation on a poster board. While he was speaking he would occasionally mark the poster. "To me, the Doctor isn't a man, he's more a collection of archetypes..."

"**Then there was Bridget.**"

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Bridget was giving presentation, only on a slide projector and all the lights were dimmed. "All these different Doctors come and go, but the single constant factor is this faux police box. It keeps cropping up, throughout history. However, recently, this girl, Allyson, has shown up too."

"**She lived way up North, but she traveled down without fail, just for the meetings.**"

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"**Then, there was bliss.**" Bliss stood by a covered pedestal. She pulled the sheet off, showing her own modern interpretive art. Everyone looked on, interested.

"What I'm trying to do is sum up the Doctor - what he means to us."

"**She was ever so sweet - bless. Bless Bliss, we used to say.**"

"What he could represent and what he should represent. And what he won't ever represent...sort of thing." Everyone nodded, understanding the point she was trying to convey.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The small group was gathered around the small table again. They were all sharing the laughter at a good story that someone had told. "We should have a name. You know - as a group." Ursula suggested as she quieted her laughter.

"Names are very important." Bliss nodded in agreement.

"What we need is a good, strong name, like a team." Elton clenched his fist to demonstrate. "Something like... London Investigation 'n' Detective Agency - LINDA for short." He hesitantly looked around, gauging their reactions.

"Say it again." Mr, Skinner leaned in to try and hear it better.

"London Investigation 'n' Detective Agency."

"'N'?" Mr, Skinner asked.

"Fish 'n' Chips, Rock 'n' Roll... Chaka Demus 'n' Pliers!" Everyone laughed at Elton's examples.

"Ooh, I like it. It's not too solemn." Bridget smiled.

"I like the 'n'." Bliss giggled lightly as she covered her mouth.

"We're the men from LINDA!" Mr, Skinner laughed.

"And the women!" Bridget chimed in.

"Linda United!" Mr, Skinner laughed and everyone joined in.

"Did you think of that on the spot?" Ursula asked Elton as everyone settled down.

"No," he shook his head. "I've been wanting to use it for years."

"I give you LINDA!" Mr, Skinner raised his glass and everyone chinked them together.

"LINDA!" They toasted.

"**So we'd all meet up, every week, and we'd talk mostly about the Doctor for a bit. But after a while, Bridget started cooking.**"

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Everyone gathers around a table that was covered with some culinary treats that Bridget had prepared and was serving everyone. "Oh my God, that's gorgeous! No really, wow! Oi, the rest of you, get your hands off!" Ursula gushed as she tried Bridget's treats. She playfully swatted everyone else's hands away from the treats.

"**The next thing you know, Mr, Skinner started his readings, 'cos he was writing his own novel.**"

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Everyone sat in a row in front of Mr, Skinner, who was reading aloud on a slightly higher stool. He had a box of papers in his lap that he was reading from. "That's the last time you ride the ghost train, Johnny Fransetta... now say your prayers!" He paused." To be continued.." Everyone groaned, sad to see the reading over so soon, though it had taken a few hours.

"You can't leave it there!" Bliss complained.

"**As time went on, we got to know each other better and better."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everyone was sitting in a circle in the basement again, Bridget doing all the talking. Everyone else sat silently and listened. "I started all of this because.. erm... my daughter disappeared. it wasn't aliens that took her away - it was just - drugs. I come down to London, every week, and I just keep looking for her." Bridget began to cry, unable to hold back her tears anymore. Ursula gently rubbed her back.

"Bridget.." She cooed softly. Everyone else looked on sympathetically as Ursula pulled Bridget into a hug.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Bliss performed in front of LINDA. She was playing the guitar and singing while everyone else watched. "I gave my love a chicken, it had no bone. I gave my love a cherry, it had no stone..." Her song held a sad tone.

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Bliss was playing her guitar again, only on a far happier note than before. Ursula joined in with a tambourine. Both of them singing together and the others watched, clipping in time with the beat. "**Then it turned out that Bridget could play the piano, and I confessed my love of ELO. Next thing you know... Musical LINDA.**"

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The group had now formed a band. Bridget played the piano, Mr, Skinner on the drums, Bliss on rhythm guitar and Ursula on bass guitar. Elton stood center-stage as the lead singer with a microphone. "You got me running, goin' outta my mind.. You got me thinking I'm wasting my time" He was really dancing around, getting in to the music. He danced up to Bridget and they both sang together.

"Don't bring me down."

"**Just for fun.**"

Elton moved over and repeated the line with Ursula. He continued to swing around the small group as he performed. Elton gave everyone the change to sing a part in the piece. Mid-song the electricity cut out. Everything goes black.

"Careful, mind the cables." Mr, Skinner warned everyone as they tried to figure out what was happening. The basement door was thrown open with a loud bang. A black silhouette appears in the door while the light from the lift blocked them from seeing any detail. The shadow opens the gates over the lift and enters the room. The small band stare at the man in silence, stunned and confused.

"**And that's when it all changed, that Tuesday night in March. That's when HE arrived.**" The man walked up to a desk and set his briefcase down.

"Lights!" The man yelled obnoxiously loud. The lights switched on and everyone got an eye full of the rather large man in a suit.

"**That's when we met Victor Kennedy. The golden age - was gone.**" Victor Kennedy looked down at them all. An air of aloofness about him. LINDA stared back, still confused.

"So, we meet at last.. LINDA." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he gave each of them a hard stare. Mr, Skinner walked forward and held out his hand to shake.

"Pleased to meet you, sir. I'm sorry, was the music too loud?" Victor backed away from the older gentleman, a disgusted look on his face.

"No no no no. I don't shake hands- back, back." He shooed the man back. "I suffer from a skin complaint - Eczeema." He told them.

"Oh, you mean 'eczema'?" Elton asked, confused. He had never heard of Eczeema.

"Oh, this is worse - much worse. I blister to the touch. Back, back - all of you, further, further. Thank you." Everyone backed away, still bewildered.

"Sorry, don't mind me asking, but who are you?" Elton asked, trying to shed some light on the stranger.

"I am your salvation." The man simply smiled.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

LINDA had gathered around Mr, Kennedy's laptop as it played a video of the Doctor with Rose and Allyson boarding the TARDIS. "That's the Doctor!" Ursula gasped.

"It's really him!" Elton smiled at her, both of them sharing the gleeful moment.

"You've forgotten your purpose in life. You, with your band and your cakes and your blubbering and all the while he still exists - the Doctor." Victor sneered.

"Look at him, just look!" Bridget pointed at the screen. They all shuffled closer to get a better look but Victor started to sweat.

"Move back, move back. All of you! Oh, wait for this, the picture cuts out, but the sound still continues." He presses a few keys on the computer and the sound of the TARDIS is heard. "Listen. Listen to the sound of the universe... yess." As the whooshing of the TARDIS fades, Elton backs into a corner and puts his head in his hands. Remembering the sound.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Ursula asked, concern evident in her voice. She tries to go and comfort him but Victor blocks her with his cane.

"Leave him!" He told her before he turned to face Elton. "You've heard it before, haven't you? When? When was it? Where? Where were you?" Elton shook his head slightly, memories flooding back.

"I'd forgotten, until now. But it was that night..." Elton stammered, a slight headache forming.

"What night?" Victor pressed him.

"I was just a kid... that's why I went downstairs. It woke me up. That noise..."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was a little boy again as he walked down the stairs in his childhood home. As he walks into the living room, the TARDIS sounds in the background.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"But what is it? What does it mean?" Elton asked himself.

"That is a sound of his spaceship." Victor answered, a small smirk on his lips.

Soon they were back at the table, Mr, Kennedy opened his briefcase and pulls out some files that he proceeds to hand out. "Right then, homework! using the Torchwood files, we're able to look at all the old databases in a completely new light. We're able to build up a more detailed profile of the Doctor. I've allocated tasks to each of you. I'd like you to -" As he hands a file to Mr, Skinner, their hands nearly touch. Victor recoils away from the other man. "Careful! Watch the eczeema!" He said sharply. "I'd like you to complete your targets and meet back here this time next week, one step closer to catching the Doctor." After he finished handing out the files he clumsily sat behind the desk. "Well don't just sit there. Move!" He hollered after they all just stood there, unsure what to do. Everyone jumps and begins to pack up their things to leave.

"Erm, Bliss? Is it Bliss, isn't it?" Victor waved at Bliss..

"Yeah." She smiled shyly, unsure if she was in trouble. Victor smiles at her.

"Could I have a word with you in private, please?" His smile disarms her and she happily agrees.

"Course you can, yeah."

"Thank you." He continued to smile at her as he waved to the others. "Goodbye, goodbye." Everyone except Bliss crowded into the service lift and left the two alone. Elton and the others were walking across the street, talking about their homework.

"Better get to work! Lots to do." Elton smiled.

"I never thought of it as work." Ursula frowned at Elton.

"It's what we've always wanted, though. To find the Doctor." He sulked from Ursula's attitude.

"Yeah, I suppose." Ursula trailed off, not very happy with the new turn of events.

"**All of a sudden, without anyone saying so, we were working for Victor Kennedy."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Victor sat behind the main desk, his hands steepled. All the other LINDA members sat behind desks, silently and obediently taking notes as they searched through the manila files. "**Though we had to admit, he was right. His methods were much more rigorous. It felt like we were getting closer and closer to the Doctor."** Elton raised his ruler in the air, feeling slightly uncomfortable about it.

"Mr, Kennedy?" He called to get the man's attention.

"Yes?"

"We... we were wondering. No sign of Bliss. Do you know where she is?" Victor seemed to be slightly caught off guard but quickly composed himself.

"Yes, didn't she tell you? She's getting married!" He smiled. "She left a message. It'll never last." He mumbled under his breath before he spoke up again. "Come on, back to work!" They all obediently bent back over their papers and resumed taking notes.

"**But we did get lucky once."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Ursula is at Elton's desk and Mr, Skinner grabs a piece of paper excitedly. "A police box!" He exclaimed. "Newly arrived, it says newly arrived today! And it's in Woolwich!" Victor snatched the paper from Mr, Skinner.

"Well don't just stand there, move! Move, go, go!" Victor practically pushed them out the door.

"**Don't get excited, that's where you came in."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was back in the warehouse that he was first describing at the beginning of his video. "**Woolwich. Police box. Red bucket, blue bucket. Police are stupid, etc."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton sat in his desk, back at the basement that housed LINDA. Victor towered over him, anger emanated from the large man. "Useless!" He yelled.

"I just froze." Elton mumbled.

"You met him... and you froze, you stupid man!" Victor raised his hand to smack Elton, who flinched. Ursula's eye's flashed with anger at the action.

"You can't hit me! 'Cos you don't touch, you said so, you get a rash and an itch and -" Elton rambled on, defending himself, not wanting to get hit. Victor grabs his cane and raises it, about to strike him.

"I can use this!" Ursula abruptly stands and storms over to the two and begins to yell at Victor.

"Use that cane on him and you'll get one hell of a smack off me! And then a good kick! Is that completely understood, Mr, Kennedy?" The malice in her voice caused Victor to pause. He slowly lowered his cane.

"Duly noted. Ursula..Blake. Most likely to fight back." The two stare each other down for a moment. "Right then! We'll change tack, we'll approach this sideways." Victor turned back to his desk and Ursula and Elton shared a grateful smile. "If we're to discover the truth about the Doctor, then we need to try and find..her." He held up a photo of Rose.

"Now when it comes to the Doctor's companions, the Torchwood files are strangely lacking." Victor stood by a projector, showing images of Rose Tyler. Everyone else was sitting to the side watching. "It seems the evidence has been corrupted, something called 'Bad Wolf' virus. At least we've got these photographs." He clicked a remote and the image changed to another of Rose. Bridget raised her hand to get Victor's attention.

"What about Allyson?" She asked hesitantly, unsure of how he was going to react.

"Who?" He frowned.

"Allyson. She's one of his most recent companions." She nervously swayed in her chair. Victor's frowned deepened as he looked through some of the Torchwood files.

"I don't have anything on her. She must not be important." Victor dismissed her, but she wasn't going down that easily.

"No she is. She's popped up more in the past with the Doctor than Rose Tyler. She can't speak but she's always there with him. I've actually found a file on her." Bridget walked over to Victor and handed him a folder that she pulled from her bag.

"Yeah, she was with the Doctor." Elton piped up when he saw her photo attached to the file. Victor looked between the two and gave a curt nod.

"Well, we can't track her if we don't have anything to go on." He looked at Elton, "Have anything to help find Rose Tyler?" Elton stood back and thought.

"Yeah, she has a London accent, definitely. She's from London." He nodded, sure of himself.

"So we hit the streets. We get out there, we take the photographs. Someone's got to know who she is somewhere. We find her, we find the Doctor and that Allyson."

"Yes, but London's a big place. I mean I should know, my own daughter's out there." Bridget looked concerned but Victor ignored it.

"Bridget, don't make this personal. I don't like to be touched literally, OR metaphorically, thank you very much, I haven't got the time. Bleeding hearts outside! Find me that girl!" He promptly hands each of them a photo of Rose. "Go. Now, move!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton stepped out into a busy London street, people were hustling and bustling around him. He checked the photograph he had of Rose. "**So it began. The impossible task. To scour the mean streets, to search a major capital city for an unknown girl. To hunt down that face in a seething metropolis of lost souls. To find that one girl in 10 million -"**

"Oh, that's Rose Tyler. She lives just down there -" And older lady points down the street. "Bucknell House, number 48. Her mother's Jackie Tyler. Nice family. Bit odd.." The lady trails off, an bemused expression on her face as she walks off. Elton watched her leave before heading down the street she pointed to with a smile.

While Elton was walking between two parked cars, he stops, hearing a woman yell. "Oi, Jackie!" A blonde woman was walking up the other side of the street with to plastic bags full of laundry.

"Hello sweetheart!" She smiled to the woman who called out to her. Elton held up the photo of Rose and compared her to Jackie, trying to see the family resemblance. "I'll see you down the Spinning Wheel tonight, yeah? Pub quiz, get 'em in!" Jackie laughed.

"All right then." The woman smiled as she walked away. Jackie walks into the 'Wash Inn' launderette to do her laundry. Elton looks around quick before an idea strikes him. He quickly peels off his jacket and then his shirt. He slips his jacket back on and balls up his shirt. He briskly walks into the 'Wash Inn'.

In the launderette, Jackie was hunched down, sorting her clothing. "**I'd been trained for this. Victor Kennedy's classes covered basic surveillance and espionage.**" Elton walks past Jackie and to a washer. He opens it up and tosses his shirt inside. "**Step one: engage your target. Find some excuse to start a conversation. But how was I gonna do this? How?"** While Elton was beating himself up, Jackie called over to him.

"Excuse me love, you couldn't give us a quid for two fifties, could you?" Jackie asked hopeful. Elton nodded and began to fumble with change in his pockets.

"Yeah.. just a... ah, da-da!" He pulled out a pound coin and exchanged it with Jackie. An awkward smile on his face.

"Oh lovely! Cheers." Jackie smiled. Elton turned back to his washing, focusing hard.

"**Step two: without provoking suspicion, get on first name terms with the target."**

"My name's Jackie, by the way." Jackie smiled again. Elton looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm Elton." He half smiled.

"Ah, you don't meet many Eltons, do you? Apart from the obvious!" Jackie and Elton both shared in a laugh. The silence afterward not nearly as awkward as Elton felt.

"**Step three: ingratiate yourself with a joke or some humorous device."** Jackie's laugh behind him caught his attention.

"I tell you what, Elton. Here we are, complete strangers, and I'm flashing you me' knickers!" Jackie waves her undergarment around and laughs. Elton shifts uncomfortably, not sure what to think but laughs regardless.

"**Step four: find some subtle way to integrate yourself into the target's household."** Elton took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but yet again, Jackie bets him to it.

"Mind you, I'm only down here because my washing machine's knackered. I don't suppose you're any good at fixing things, are you?" Elton stared at her, still in disbelief about his luck.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was crouched behind Jackie's laundry machine, which was pulled away from the wall, changing the plug. Jackie stood back, watching him silently, fluffing her hair. "Here we are." Elton stood up straight, " It was a fuse. There's nothing wrong with the machine. That's fine. All working!" He smiled proudly at Jackie, who had stopped flouncing her hair.

"Oh Elton, I should have you on tap!" The both laughed. "I used to have this little mate called Mickey, he did all that stuff." Her tone dropped off, remembering him. "He's gone now. Bless him."

"Well, if you need me, give us a call. I'll jot down my number." Elton smiled, trying to change the subject off this Mickey.

"Well you do that, and I'll make us a cup of tea. Go on, go and sit down. Put the telly on if you want, can't bear it silent." Jackie walks off to put on some tea and Elton righted her washer before heading to the living room.

As he entered the living room he looked around, seeing photos of Rose from different ages on Jackie's mantle piece. "It's just me these days, rattling about." Jackie told him from the kitchen. A few moments later Jackie entered, carrying a tray with tea and a few cups. They both settled down on the sofa and poured themselves tea. "There's my daughter, she's gone traveling. I keep her bedroom all nice and ready though, just in case she comes back." Jackie stared off, a bit sad.

"And her name is?" Elton played dumb.

"Rose."

"It's a nice name, Rose. So where's she...traveling?" He wondered just what her excuse was.

"All over. She got a mobile, I get a call now and then. Not so often as I'd like. Still, that age, who can be bothered phoning home?" Jackie gave Elton a sad smile.

"Who's she with, is it mates, is it, or..." Elton pried.

"Just mates. Yeah." Jackie answered nonchalantly.

"Well, if I had you making a nice cup of tea like this, I wouldn't stray far from home." Elton smiled as he took another sip of tea. Jackie gave him a sincere smile.

"You're a charmer. Say it again." She laughed and Elton gave a few chuckles. They both sipped their tea again. Jackie watching him over the edge of her mug.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Since Elton had told Victor of his encounter with Jackie, he had been much happier. "Magnificent! Oh I could kiss you! Except I can't, of course. The eczeema." Victor smiled at Elton who was just bursting with joy.

"I've even got a picture of her on my phone." He whipped out his mobile and brought up the photo to show the rest of the group.

"Oh it's amazing! You've achieved steps 1 to 4 in precise order! How did you manage it?" Mr, Skinner was amazed. Elton let out a sigh.

"Well, I had to work very hard. She keeps everything very close to her chest." He put simply, instead of saying that she was the one that really did all the steps for him.

"That's a hell of a chest." Ursula gushed out.

"But how do you move on? Step five, that's the problem." Bridget looked at Elton, wanting his insight.

"Step five!" Victor cheered. "That's this week's homework. I want a full plan of attack from each of you. Now go on, vamoose!" He banged his cane on the desk repeatedly. "Avante! There's work to do!" The excited group quickly gathers up their things and begin to leave. "And Elton - keep infiltrating, you will do anything to get that information, boy, anything!" Victor pointed his cane bandashingly at Elton.

"Yes sir!" Elton nodded as he turned to leave.

"Oh, oh Bridget! Bridget, oh yes.." Mr, Skinner and Bridget both stop and look back at Victor. "Could I have a word with you in private, please?" He smiled.

"Er, Mr, Skinner's giving me a lift." Bridget shifted, uncomfortable.

"Oh, I can drop you at the station, I'm sure Mr, Skinner won't mind, will you?" Victor peered at Mr, Skinner who looked uncertain what to do.

"Not at all... erm... well, Bridget, I'll see you next week."

"All right then." Bridget smiled at him as he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Elton and Ursula give each other a knowing smile as Mr, Skinner joins them. "Bye bye!" Bridget smiled and waved to them as they left in the lift.

Outside the three of them were walking away, Ursula and Elton both smiling but Mr, Skinner was a bit reluctant. He just couldn't shake this nagging feeling he had. "Now Mr, Skinner, I don't mean to pry - but did you give Bridget a little kiss back then?" Ursula giggled like a school girl.

"I think I did." Mr, Skinner gave her a shy smile.

"And if you get your way, might there be more little kisses between the two of you?" Ursula raised an eyebrow.

"I think there might..." He bit his lip, a bit hesitant.

"I knew it!" Ursula cheered, giving a small jump.

"That's brilliant!" Elton smiled widely, happy for the man.

"Now, let's not get excited. We'll see." Mr, Skinner brushed them off, trying to get their attention off him and Bridget.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor rushes into the TARDIS and throws his coat on the Y beam as he walks up to the console. Rose stood there waiting for him, a small smile on her face. "Ahhh right, then! Next adventure shall we - wait a moment." He looked around. "Where's Allyson?" Rose bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter as she gazed over the Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor furrowed his brows at her but followed her gaze to see his coat over Allyson. She stood with her hands on her hips and her foot was tapping irritatedly. The Doctor swallowed a lump in his throat as Rose finally busted out laughing from the look of fear on the Doctor's face. The Doctor cautiously walked up to Allyson and gently pulled off his coat.

Raging blue eyes met his brown as Allyson's hair stood up in random directions. She was dressed in a simple white tee with a v-neck and dark blue jeans. She had filled out a lot more since he had found her. Her skin wasn't as pale, her cheeks held a slight pink to them and her skin had healed from the IV's the nurses had in her. Her ribs no longer pushed against her skin but were now covered with a healthy layer of muscle and a little extra. Her face had rounded out a bit more, softening her sharp jaw and cheek bones giving her a strong look but still famine. Allyson glared at the Doctor, sending shivers down his back. "Um.. sorry?" He tried. Allyson held up her hand, asking for something. The Doctor looked down at it and back at her. "Oh no. No, you can't!" He whined like a 5 year old.

"You better listen to her!" Rose laughed at him. Allyson flexed her fingers, telling him to cough it up. Her long red nails flashing at the Doctor. The Doctor slumped his shoulders and stomped his feet.

"But Allyyysoonn! I didn't meean itt!" He whined. She raised a brow at him and looked expectantly at her hand. The Doctor pouted and reached into his suit jacket, fishing around for something. "Oh, alright." He grumpily put his sonic screwdriver in her hand. She quickly grabbed it and put it in her back pant's pocket. This was his punishment. Whenever he did something wrong she would take away his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor gloomily stalked over to the console and started to unenthusiastically press buttons and pull levers. Rose kept laughing as Allyson walked over to stand by Rose.

The Doctor pulled the TARDIS into orbit around a red giant. "All right, since Allyson won't let me have my sonic, we're calling it quits for the day." The Doctor pressed a few buttons and the TARDIS gave a slight hum and stopped shaking. Rose and Allyson walked off into the TARDIS, both laughing at something they found humorous. The Doctor stood by the monitor and watched the girls walk out of his sight before he looked down at a slip of paper. It was the print out of Allyson's vitals that he had taken when she was in the med-bay a while back. She had healed relatively fast, but that was because of the TARDIS. He pulled out his specs and looked at the numbers. His brows furrowed as he focused. He was still baffled by the results.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton stood in front of a mirror as he shrugged out of his jacket. "**And there I was. The ultimate step five."** He took his shirt of and starts prepping himself. He messed with his hair and sprayed on deodorant. "**The perfect infiltration.**" He opened a bottle of mouth wash and began to gargle some. He jumps around and punched the air, psyching himself up. "**Target - Jackie Tyler.**" He points to himself in the mirror, feeling on top of the world, and leaves the bathroom.

He jumps in the doorway to Jackie's room with a smile on his face. "You're right, it is a bit hot. But it's about to get hotter!" He grinned wickedly. Jackie sat on the edge of her bed, a phone to her ear.

"I'll see you soon. All right, be careful." Jackie sniffled as she hung up the phone. Elton's grin falls off his face as he looks at her concerned.

"Everything alright?" Elton asked her. Jackie sighs.

"That was my daughter." She turns to face Elton and chides herself. Elton looks at her sheepishly. "Oh, look at you. I'm sorry. I was just being stupid." Jackie rubs her forehead as she tries to collect herself.

"Is she okay?" Elton asked, genuinely concerned.

"She's so far away. I get left here sometimes and, um... I don't know where she is, anything could be happening to her, anything. And I just go a bit mad." Jackie looked Elton over, "Put your shirt back on."

"Where is she?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm sorry. You'd better go." Elton just nods and turns to leave, but stops mid-step.

"Actually..."

**"That's when it struck me. Funny the things you think of with your shirt off. But that's when I realized what was really important."**

"Never mind about Rose. I'm not even gonna ask. And I will put my shirt back on, because I'm going to go out and get us both a pizza. cause I reckon you need cheering up. she goes swanning off and who's left to care about you, eh? So I say a nice bit of pizza, we'll put the telly on nice and loud and annoy that woman next door, just you and me as proper mates. Yeah? Mates. Go on. Say yes." He smiles encouragingly at her with she returns.

"Yes!" She whispered.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was walking back from the pizza parlor with a box in his arms. He held his head high as he walked, proud of himself. "**All of a sudden, a lot of things made sense. I'd got so lost in conspiracies and aliens and targets, I'd been missing the obvious. cos I DID like Jackie, but I liked someone else even more!"** As Elton reached Jackie's estate, he found her standing outside with his jacket in her arms.

"Right. Let's get inside then, the pizza's getting cold." He smiled at her, but she just glared at him.

"I went in your coat. For once in my life I thought 'I'll pay'. I thought 'He's such a nice man, he won't accept anything, so I'll just slip a tenner in his pocket'. and look what I found." She pulled out the photograph of Rose. Elton felt his heart drop. He messed up. "A photograph of my daughter."

"No no no no no, it's not like that. I can explain!" Elton begged but Jackie wasn't having it.

"I bet you can." She glared.

"I wasn't being pervy or anything, I wasn't after her! I was looking for the Doctor!"

"Oh I know that. I worked that out. 'Cos it's never me, is it?" Jackie looked close to tears from her anger.

"No, but that's how it started, but I changed my mind!"

"Let me tell you something. about those who get left behind. Because it's hard. and that's what you become, hard. But if there's one thing I've learnt, it's that I will never let her down. And I'll protect them all until the end of my life. So whatever you want, I'm warning you: back off." She pointed a cruel finger at him.

"But Jackie, I only wanted to meet him." Elton explained.

"I thought you liked me." Her voice cracked some.

"I do!"

"Just get out of here!" She shouted at him, very upset. "I said get OUT! And leave me alone!" She threw his jacket at him and ran back inside. Tears streamed down her face as she slammed the door shut. Elton stood still as stone with the pizza and his jacket in his arms.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was pacing back and forth in the basement again, very distraught. "And she was right! It's shameful, we USED that woman -"

"I KNEW I couldn't trust you! You broke cover, you STUPID little man, you failed step five!" Victor scalded him.

"I don't CARE about step five! Because it's all gone wrong, Mr, Kennedy. Ever since YOU turned up! We used to come here every week, and we'd have a laugh. We were friends. No wonder they stopped coming. I mean there's no Bliss any more, and even Bridget, she hasn't turned up." Elton yelled at Victor, caught up in his anger.

"I've been phoning and phoning her, there's no reply." An upset Mr, Skinner spoke.

"And who can blame her?! I'm sorry Victor, but you're on your own. Because I am leaving! And so are you, Mr, Skinner! And as for you, Ursula - " He stalks over to her and stands right in front of her. "You're coming with me. And we're going to the golden Locust and we're going to have Chinese."

"What's that got to do with it?" Ursula was baffled.

"I mean you and me. Together. Having a mean. If you want.." He softened, hoping she wouldn't reject him.

"Oh, I'd love it." She smiled, touched.

"But you can't leave. You'll never know what he was doing, the Doctor. You'll never know what he was doing in your house all those years ago." Victor turned to drastic measures.

"No. I'll never know." Elton paused, "Ursula, get your stuff. Mr, Skinner, are you coming? Not to the Chinese, if you don't mind, just sort of walking out."

"I certainly am!" Mr, Skinner stood up abruptly.

"Victor. Good Luck. Good bye." Elton told him simply as they all began to walk out.

"Mr, Skinner! Would you stay for a minute, please?" Victor sounded desperate.

"We're walking out." Mr, Skinner told him simply.

"I've got numbers for Bridget! I've kept records, I've got old numbers." Victor opens his briefcase and begins to rummage through the papers. "We could track her down. Together. You and I." He smiled. Elton and Ursula exchange looks but Elton just shrugs, unsure.

"That's more like the old team spirit. You two have a nice time." He waved to Elton and Ursula.

"I hope you find her." Ursula gave him a quick hug.

"I'll email you." Elton gave him a half way as they both turn and walk to the lift.

Elton and Ursula walk out of the building, hand in hand. "Mm, prawns!" Ursula smiled.

"Yeah, I like prawns."

"Do you?" Ursula raises a brow.

"Crispy aromatic though."

"Oh, I left my phone.." Ursula stops in her tracks as she feels in her pockets.

"Really?" Elton asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! It's not in my pocket."

"So much for the big exit." Elton rolled his eyes.

"Yeah... come on." They both turn and walk back to the building. "Hurry up!"

They descend in the lift to the basement. Elton and Ursula open the gates and step out. "I'm not stopping, I just left my.. ph..phone." Ursula trails off as she noticed that Mr, Skinner was absent and Victor was hidden behind a newspaper. "Victor?"

"Take your phone and go." His slightly panicked sounding voice resounded from behind the paper.

"Where's Mr, Skinner?" Ursula looked around.

"He's gone to the toilet." Elton and Ursula slowly edge toward Victor.

"But... we haven't GOT toilets. We have to use the pub on the corner." Elton told him.

"Well - well - well that's.. that's where he is, then." Victor said uneasy.

"Help me." A weak squelchy voice squeaked from behind the desk.

"What was that?" Ursula demanded.

"Nothing, it was nothing, it was nothing!" Victor said rather loudly.

"Help me!" The voice sounded stronger.

"Shut up!" Victor whispered.

"That's Mr, Skinner..." Elton worked out.

"Victor.." Ursula sounded disgusted. " Look at your hands!" she pointed at the green clawed hands gripping the paper. Victor quickly slammed the paper down.

"Look at the rest of me." He revealed himself as a large green blob-like alien. He had a small patch of black hair on the top of fat head. "You've dabbled with aliens. Now meet the genuine article."

"Oh my God." Ursula wanted to hurl.

"You're a... thing!" Elton blabbered, at a loss for words.

"A THING? This THING is my true form. Better than that crude pink shape YOU call a body." Victor looked a bit put out at being called a thing. Mr, Skinner's face was barely visible on Victor's oversized belly.

"What happened? Where am I?" He asked, trying to look around. Elton and Ursula stare in shock. "Ursula? Is that you?" Mr, Skinner squints.

"That's Mr, Skinner! What've you done to him?" Ursula asked horrified.

"I've absorbed him." Victor told her, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He licks his lips as Bridget's face emerges on his back.

"Colin? Is that you? Colin?" She called out, looking for him.

"Bridget, my love?" He responded.

"Oh my God! That's Bridget!" Ursula gasped.

"Colin, where are you?" Bridget called out desperately.

"I'm here, Bridget! It's all right - I'm close." Mr, Skinner tried to comfort her.

"You've absorbed them BOTH!" Ursula was revolted by the alien.

"What about Bliss? Where is she?" Elton demanded. A muffled voice answers him. Elton tilts his head. "What?" Victor looks awkward as he leans to one side.

"I said 'you really don't want to know'." Victor shifts back to sitting right and Bliss groans from the pressure.

"You've absorbed her." Elton breathed out. Victor nods, a twisted evil smile on his face. "Are you some sort of Absorbathon? An Absorbaling? ...And Absorbaloff?"

"Yes! I like that!" Victor laughs.

"Let them go. I'm ordering you! Let those people go!" Ursula pointed a finger at Victor.

"Oh, but they taste so sweet. Just think about the Doctor... ooooh, how will he taste? all that experience - all that knowledge - and if I've got to absorb Jackie Tyler to get him, then so be it."

"Don't you _dare._" Elton hissed between his teeth. Ursula grabs Victor's cane and banishes at him. He cowers back, not wanting to get hit.

"If I have to beat them out of you!" Ursula threatened.

"Oh, no! Please don't hit me! Look at me - I'm such a slow and clumsy beast. Please don't hit me." He whimpered, baiting her.

"Well then, give them back." Ursula was obviously caught off guard by the alien.

"What? You mean like this?" He lunges forward and grabs Ursula's wrist. "Just one touch, that's all it takes!" He smiled gleefully.

"Oh, no!" Ursula cried as she watched her arm be absorbed into the green alien's belly. Everyone screamed in distress as Ursula was being absorbed.

"Leave her alone!" Elton yelled as he lunged forward to pull her away. Ursula held out her hand, effectively stopping him.

"Don't touch me! Oh, Elton, I'm so sorry. You can't touch me." She cried.

"Ursula." He whispered, helpless. Victor chuckled triumphantly.

"'Most likely to fight back'. Indeed."

"Leave her alone!" Elton cried out as Ursula screams. She's absorbed head first into the Absorbaloff. Victor shudders with delight and pleasure as Ursula's face begins to emerge on his chest.

"Yes." Victor's satisfied voice grounded out.

"No! That's not fair!" Elton complained.

"She tastes like chicken." Victor boasted.

"Elton, where are you?" Ursula's face looked around for him.

"Please, Mr, Kennedy. Please. I'm asking you. I'm begging you. Give her back to me." Elton whimpered quietly, just wanting her back.

"I can't. Once they've been absorbed, the process is irreversible." Victor told him matter-of-factually and sniggers.

"Wait a minute.." Ursula's brow furrowed. "Now I've been absorbed, I can read his thoughts. Oh my God, Elton. You're next. Get out of here!" Victor smirks up at Elton. "Now you've seen him, he can't let you go. Just run! Go on! Never mind me, get out!"

"Isn't she the clever one?" Victor continued to smirk. Elton looked torn between trying to figure out how to save Ursula and running.

"Run, Elton! Run!" Ursula screamed.

"Save yourself, boy!" Mr, Skinner joined in.

"Run for your life!" Bridget yelled. Elton stood frozen in his spot. Victor stands and leaps over the desk, surprisingly agile. He lets out a bone chilling roar, finally Elton runs to the lift, out the doors, and into the street. Victor right behind him. Elton kept running only glancing back to see if Victor was still behind him. Eventually he ran into a dead end and was cornered. Elton falls to the ground, defeated.

"Ohh, what's the matter? Have you given up so soon?" Victor mocked him.

"There's no point. Where would I go? Everything I ever wanted... has been absorbed." Elton hung his head in despair.

"Oh, Elton. Don't say that." Ursula cooed, despite the situation it was a surprisingly sweet thing of him to say.

"But it's true!" He insisted.

"Then join us! Join us, little man." Victor inches towards Elton. "Come on, everlasting peace. Come on, join us. Dissolve into me.." The Absorbaloff reaches out, trying to touch Elton's forehead and absorb him when a sound distracts him. The TARDIS begins to materialize into sight, not to far from the two men. Elton opened his eyes, not believing his ears. Once the TARDIS materialized the Doctor and Allyson step out, both giving Elton a very unhappy look.

"Someone wants to have a word with you." The Doctor told him. Rose storms out, straight up the Elton, completely ignoring the large green blobby alien.

"You upset my mum." She looked murderously at him as she got straight to the point. Elton glanced between her, the Doctor and Allyson, and the Absorbaloff in disbelief.

"Great big absorbing creature from outer space, and you're having a go at me?" Rose ignored what he said.

"No one upsets my mum." She told him flatly.

"At last. The greatest feast of all. The Doctor." Victor ignored Elton and licked his lips at the sight of the Time Lord.

"What's this thing? A sort Absorbatrix? Absorba..clon? Absorbaloff?" The Doctor sized him up, deeming him less dangerous than a pebble.

"Absorbaloff, yes." He grinned dangerously. Rose finally looked at the green alien leaned over to the Doctor.

"Is it me or is he a bit... Slitheen?" The Doctor keeps his gaze on Victor.

"Not from Raxacorricofallapatorius, are you?" The Doctor asked him.

"No!" Victor scoffed, "I'm not the swine! I SPIT on them! I was born on their twin planet."

"Really?" The Doctor raised a brow, "What's the twin planet of Raxacorricofallapatorius?" Allyson watched him speak, wishing so much to say that word. Such a mouthful, but she loved it.

"Clom."

"Clom." The Doctor looked around, not at all impressed.

"Clom, yes. And I'll return there victorious, whilst I possess your traveling machine." Victor told him, revealing his plan as he gestures to the TARDIS.

"Well, that's never gonna happen." The Doctor told him skeptically.

"Oh, it will. You'll surrender yourself to me, Doctor, or this one dies." He points to Elton. "You see, I've read about you, Doctor. I've studied you. so passionate, so sweet. You wouldn't let an innocent man die. And I'll absorb him - unless you give yourself to me." Victor demanded. Rose and Allyson share an amused look as the Doctor scratched the back of his neck, slightly uncomfortable.

"Sweet, maybe. Passionate, I suppose. But don't ever mistake that for nice. Do what you want." Victor looked taken back, not at all expecting the Doctor to say such a thing. The Doctor stands still as a statue, completely detached from the scene. Rose and Allyson glance up at him, slightly concerned.

"He'll die, Doctor." Victor warned.

"Go on then." The Doctor brushed his hand toward him, indicating that he could continue. Victor pauses, completely caught off guard by the Doctor.

"So be it." He turns to face Elton who looked scared stiff that the Doctor was just going to let him die. Victor was near touching him when the Doctor spoke up again.

"Mind you - the others might have something to say."

"Others?" Victor looked at the Doctor confused.

"He's right. The Doctor's right. We can't let him." Ursula realized, "Oh, Mr, skinner, Bridget, PULL!"

"No!" Victor began to panic, realizing what they were about to do.

"For God's sake, pull!" Ursula cried out.

"No, don't - get off, get off!" Victor tried to brush them off as the three of them begin to pull away from Victor.

"If it's the last thing we ever do - Bliss! All of us together! Come on! Pull!" Ursula rallied. Victor wailed in pain as he was beginning to be pulled apart. "LINDA united! PULL!" Victor drops his cane in pain. "Elton! The cane!" Elton sat scared but grabbed the cane regardless. "Break it!" Ursula told him. Elton quickly stands up and snaps the cane over his leg. A sprinkle of blue sparks fall out and the hand at the end opens, revealing a bright light.

"My cane! You stupid man - oh no!" He lets out one last roar as he turns into a liquid and falls to the pavement.

"What did I do?" Elton looked down puzzled as the remains of Victor Kennedy bubbled into the ground.

"The cane created a limitation field. Now it's broken, he can't stop. The absorber is being absorbed." The Doctor told him, eying the ground.

"By what?" Elton was still confused.

"By the Earth." The last of Victor disappears between the cracks and for a fleeting moment Ursula's face appears on the stone. Elton lunges towards her, wanting to pull her out.

"Bye bye, Elton. Bye bye." And she sinks into the stone. A tear escapes Elton's eye as he kneels by where Ursula once was. Rose watched on, her anger ebbing away at the sight of him losing someone he loved.

"Who was she?" She asked.

"That was Ursula." He answered, tears streaming down his cheeks. Rose watches silently for a moment before walking over and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, comforting him.

"**And that's it. Almost. Because the Doctor still had more to say."**

"You don't remember, do you?"

**"And then explained. That night."**

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton sat on some stone steps between Rose and the Doctor. Allyson sat on the ground close to the Doctor's feet. Rose had her arm linked through Elton's still reassuring him. "**All those years ago."**

"There was a shadow in your house." The Doctor began.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Child Elton stood at the top of the stairs again in his childhood home. He slowly walked down the stairs, having heard something in the living room. "**A living shadow in the darkness. An elemental shade had escaped from the Howling Halls."** Elton walked around the doorway and saw the Doctor staring out the window, a troubled look on his face. "**I stopped it, but... I wasn't in time to save her. I'm sorry." ** Elton looked over to the other side of the room, there he saw Allyson kneeling by a woman. Allyson had shut the blonde woman's eyes and was paying her respects. It was Elton's mother.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands, his lip trembling. "We forget because we must." Elton looked up at the camera, his eyes red. "So there you go. Turns out I've had the most terrible things happen. And the most brilliant things. And sometimes - well - I can't tell the difference. They're all the same thing. They're.. they're just me. You know, Stephen King once said, he said 'Salvation and damnation are the same thing'. And I never knew what he meant. But I do now. 'Cos the Doctor might be wonderful, but thinking back... I was having such a special time. Just for a bit. I had this nice little gang. And they were destroyed. It's not his fault. But maybe that's what happens if you touch the Doctor. Even for a second. I keep thinking of Rose and Jackie. And how much longer before they pay the price."

"Oh, now don't get all miserable. Come on, Elton. You've still got me." Ursula's voice said, off the screen. Elton smiled.

"Oh yeah. 'Cos the Doctor, no matter how amazing he is, didn't give me a happy ending. It was Allyson."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Allyson kneels down by the slab of pavement that Ursula's face had appeared on, she had her sonic and the Doctor's in each hand. Both giving off a loud whirling. "What's she doing?" Elton asked the Doctor.

"She's trying to key into the absorption matrix and separate the last victim. It's to late for total reconstruction, BUT-" He was cut short as Ursula's face began to emerge from the ground and then the rest of her head. Allyson reached down and grabbed hold of Ursula's arms as she began to pull out of the stone.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"Even then, after all that. Allyson, the girl who never spoke a word, saved me." Elton sat in his chair and Ursula walked into the view of the camera and wrapped her arms around Elton. Both of them smiled into the camera. They both rub noses and kiss briefly before Elton grabs the remote to the camera and zooms in. "There we are... I've even bought a remote zoom. But what I wanted to say is. You know, when you're a kid, they tell you it's all, grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid, and that's it." He shakes his head. "Ah. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker. And so much madder." He smiles. "And so much better."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N: **I really did not like this chapter.. I didn't like how Doctor lite it was. Plus, I didn't really find the Absorbaloff that...fiercesome.

All I know is. I really miss having a laptop. If I had one I swear I'd get this updated more often. I have a hard time sitting still for an extended period of time because I get back issues, so I get some of this typed out and then I'm like "Okay, I have to move. I have to do something." If I had a laptop, which if I get enough money from Christmas, which I should if I know my dad, I should be able to get one. But till I do, don't expect these to be every three days like they use to. I'll try to post one within a week but no guarantees =\

But don't get me wrong. I love writing Allyson and the Doctor. I have some twists for them but this is going a bit slower than I'd hoped. So stick with it, she gets more interesting lol not that she isn't already. Like what did the test print out say about her that makes even the Doctor wonder what she is? Hmm? I love hearing from you guys so by all means PM me or leave reviews. I love reading them.

Again, sorry for the delay. After the next chapter things should pick up some and really get interesting. But as usual, anything confuses you or you have any questions I'll gladly answer them!

Also! I'm not done yet lol. I'm take suggestions for Allyson's last name. So you can leave them in the reviews or PM me. I'll pick the top 5 or 10 depending on how many I get and let you choose.

Tatty-bye, loves!


	11. Chapter 11: Fear Her

**Fear Her**

The Doctor walked down the corridors in the TARDIS, looking for Allyson's room. He felt terrible about how he had to mute her mind but it was all he could do to keep the demon from harming her. It wouldn't be so bad if he didn't have to wait for her to completely heal before he could change it back for her. She's been even more reclusive since she got out of the med-bay. She felt even more like a third-wheel, he knew how she felt. She's always had strong emotions and he can't help but be effected by them occasionally. He came up to her door and knocked before walking in and freezing. All the time she's traveled with them he's never seen her room.

He gaped at the stimulated dome glass that covered all of the room except for the wall that his back was against and the floor. In the middle of the room was a bed that was set into the floor and sitting on the bed was a familiar curly head of hair, Allyson. She sat facing the window, her blue eyes taking in the slowly changing scenes. The Doctor walked up and sat right in front of her. They sat cross legged, knee to knee. Her blue eyes flickered to the Doctor, curiosity shining in the clear pools. "Allyson, I want to fix you." He told her simply. She smiled, her roses lips revealing her brilliant white teeth. She lept forward and hugged the Doctor. He felt her relief and joy flood over to him and he beamed. He wanted to see her happy.

He reluctantly pulled back his smile falling as he brought his mind into focus, but Allyson was silly with joy and she giggled. She had butterfly's in her stomach and they tickled. The Doctor chuckled at her and she giggled more. The Doctor straightened his face, feigning seriousness, as he placed his fingers on her face. Her skin was smooth and hot to the touch. He tried to focus on her synapses but he could feel her smile and it was rather distracting to him. He leaned in and focused more, resting his forehead on hers as he altered her mind. When he pulled away, Allyson had her eyes closed and her smile was nearly gone. "_Allyson?"_ He called out to her.

"_Hello."_ Her mind reached out but quickly shrouded itself, her emotions were reigned back as she put up a minimal block. The Doctor smiled, glad to see her back to how she was. "_Doctor, I have a question._" She bit her lip and stared off out of the window. "_Back on Kroptor I spoke. I barely remember it, but I know I did. How?"_ The Doctor let out a sigh and scratched his neck.

"Well, it's not your vocal cords that are damaged. It's the speech center in your cerebrum. It is damaged, I'm not sure how, but it is. Physically you can speak, but your mind just can't comprehend how." The corner of Allyson's mouth inched up but quickly fell again, disappointment on her face. "But, maybe with time it will heal on it's own." He tried to cheer her up but he could tell she wasn't buying it. Even he didn't buy it. They sat in silence for a while when the Doctor held out his hand expectantly. Allyson glanced at it and raised a brow. "I fixed you, now gimme back my screwdriver!" He playfully demanded. Allyson rolled her eyes, pulled it out from under her pillow and dropped it in his waiting hand. A smirk on her face the whole time.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The TARDIS materializes right in-between two gates. Posted on one was a sign "DANGER - KEEP OUT" and on the other was "NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THESE GATES". When the TARDIS gives a final 'bang' the Doctor opens the door, but finds that the TARDIS was parked the wrong way. The gates blocked the Doctor from leaving. "Ah." He shut the door and the TARDIS dematerializes and re-materializes again, this time facing the proper way. The Doctor opened the door and smiled as he walked out. "Ah!" After the Doctor had stepped out Rose followed close behind. She caught sight of a poster on a pole, it was of Shayne Ward and it was advertising his greatest hits album.

"So, near future, yeah?" Rose asked as Allyson stepped out of the TARDIS, still in her white shirt and blue jeans.

"I had a passing fancy. Only it didn't pass, it stopped." The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson all walk down the street simply looking about when they see a large banner strung up. ''LONDON 2012". "30th Olympia." The Doctor smiled. Rose gave a squeal of delight and linked her arm through the Doctor's, leaving Allyson alone on the other side.

"No way! Why didn't I think of this, that's great! Ah!" Rose's grin was infectious and the Doctor beamed.

"Only seems like yesterday a few naked Greek blokes were tossing a discus about. Wrestling each other in the sand with crowds standing about, begging...no, wait a minute. That was Club Med." He laughs at his own joke and gives Rose a nudge. "Just in time for the opening doo dah - ceremony. Tonight, I thought you'd like that. Last one they had in London was dynamite. Wembley, 1948. I loved it so much, I went back and watched it all over again. Fella carrying the torch. Lovely chap. What was his name?" Rose disconnected her self from the Doctor as she caught sight of 'MISSING' posters coating a pole. "Mark? John? Mark? Legs like pipe cleaners, but strong as a whippet."

"Doctor -" Rose tried.

"And in those days, everybody had a tea part to go to." He continued to prattle on in his own little world.

"Doctor?" Rose tried again.

"Did you ever have one of those little cakes with the crunchy ball bearings on top-" Allyson gives the Doctor a good smack on the arm and he stops mid-sentence, his attention focused on her. She points to Rose who was still staring at the posters, appalled.

"You should really look." Rose told him, waving him over.

"Do you know those - those things?" He saunters over to her, continuing on his little rant about edible ball bearings. "Nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius." His eyes finally land on the posters and he becomes serious. again. "What's taking them, do you think?" He and Allyson quickly scan the street, but it seems entirely normal. "Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold? Is something reducing the temperature?"

"It says they all went missing this week. Why would a person do something like this?" Rose asked, heartbreak evident in her voice.

"_What makes you think it's a person?_" Allyson looked at the posters, memorizing the children's faces. The sound of a door opening attracts their attention and they all turn to see a woman dumping a recycling sack on the pavement outside her house. She quickly shuffles back inside, looking around suspiciously all the while.

"Whatever it is, it's got the whole street scared to death. Doctor, what .." She turns to face the Doctor but finds he's already half way down the street. Rose gapes at him but looks over at Allyson who stood by her, waiting. Allyson could only shrug, who knew what that man thought sometimes.

The Doctor walked into a seemingly random yard and crouched down in front of a mini football goal. He held out his hand and hovered it over a patch of grass. The girls were walking along the road, trying to reach the Doctor when a car shutters to a halt close by. They both stop to watch as a council worker stops his work to help the driver. "There you go. 5th today. Not natural, is it?" The council worker asked the driver.

"I dunno what happened, I had it serviced less than a month ago." The driver stepped out of the car, distraught.

"Nah, don't even try and explain it, mate. All the cars are doing it. And do you know what? It's bonkers. Bonkers." The service man explained, seeming to have accepted the odd behavior of random cars. "Come on then, pal. I'll help you shift it. Quicker you're on the way, happier you'll be." The council worker walks back and begins to push on the back of the car while the driver pushes from his door.

"There we go." The driver smiled as the car began to move. Rose and Allyson walk over to the two struggling men.

"Do you want a hand?" Rose asked them.

"No, we're all right, love." The council worker politely declined. Rose and Allyson both put their hands on their hips and smirked.

"No you're not. We're tougher than we look, honest." The man shifts over, making room for Rose and Allyson to push. The 4 of them push on the car, moving it along at a good pace when it suddenly roars to life. The council worker falls over as the car takes off. He quickly jumps up and brushes himself off. "Does this happen a lot?"

"Cheers, mate!" The driver hollered back before he drove off.

"Been doing it all week." He replied, disgruntled.

"Since those children started going missing?" Rose pried.

"Yeah, I s'pose so." He shrugged, not really seeing how one pertains to the other. Allyson frowned but walked over to where the Doctor was, knowing she wouldn't be much help in a conversation. The Doctor was still feeling something invisible over the grass when Allyson walked up and squatted next to him.

"_Find anything?_" She asked casually. The Doctor giggled.

"Put your hand right here." She complied and hovered her hand over the patch of grass. "Can you feel it?" He watched her closely as she focused on her hand. She furrowed her brows as she felt a small wave under her hand, she wiggled her fingers and the feeling became more detailed. The small wave started to feel more like little tendrils of air and energy mixed together. It tickled her hand and she began to giggled at the strange sensation. The Doctor giggled too as he put his hand back. "It tickles!" He laughed.

"What's your game?" A man had stepped out of the house they were in front of, and he didn't look very happy. They both spin around and stare at the man.

"My.. um.." The Doctor looks like a fish out of water, "Snakes and Ladders? Quite good at.. uh Squash. Reasonable." Allyson smacks his arm again and it seems to snap the Doctor out of his floundering. "I'm being facetious, aren't I? There's not call for it." He begins to back away as the man approaches him dangerously. He subconsciously pulls Allyson behind him, not wanting her to get hurt. They begin to stumble back towards the sidewalk as the man stalks them.

"Who are you?" He asked, glaring at them.

"I'm - I'm a police officer! I've got a badge - and -"

"_Doctor."_ Allyson's warning voice echoed in his head.

"And a police car! You don't have to get -" The Doctor continued to fumble with his words, "I can- I can prove it! Just hold on-" He began to fish around in his pockets, looking for physic paper. Allyson crossed her hand and rolled her eyes.

"We've had plenty of coppers poking around here, and you two don't look - or sound - like any of them." The man said roughly. While the Doctor was fumbling with his coat he spotted Rose.

"See, look! We've even got another colleague! Lewis." Rose quickly acts her part and give the man a policeman-like wink. While the man was distracted by Rose, Allyson quickly stepped in front of the Doctor and started searching his pockets with him.

"_This is why __**you**__ don't need pockets bigger on the inside._" She lightly scolded him. She reached into the inside breast pocket and managed to pull out the psychic paper. She handed it to him with a mocking smile.

"_What would I do without you, Allyson?" _The Doctor grinned and winked at her before stepping between the man and Rose.

"Training. New recruits." He answered for Rose. "It was either that or hairdressing, so -" He flashes him the psychic paper, "Voila!" He beamed.

"What are you going to do?" A woman, who had just joined them, asked.

"The police have knocked on every door - no clue, no leads, nothing." The woman who Rose was talking to, spoke up.

"Look, kids run off sometimes, All right? That's what they do -" The man who had confronted the Doctor theorized, seeming like he was trying to convince himself more than everyone else.

"Dale Hixon in your garden, playing with your Tommy, and then -!" She mimics a gesture of someone disappearing. "Right in front of me, like he was never there! There's no need to look any further than this street. It's right here amongst us." The older lady looked very upset.

"Why don't we -" The Doctor started but someone else interrupted him.

"Why don't we start with him?" He pointed at the council worker. "There's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night."

"Fixing things up for the Olympics!" The man defended himself.

"Yeah, and taking an awful long time about it." Tommy's dad accused. Allyson, Rose, and the Doctor all frowned, watching the small group turn on an innocent man.

"I'm of the opinion that all we've gotta do is just -" The Doctor tried to calm them down.

"You don't - what you just said, that's slander!" The road worker and everyone else ignored the Doctor.

"I don't care what it is!" The neighbor cried out.

"I think we need to just -" The Doctor tired again.

"I want an apology off her!" The worker demanded

"Stop picking on him."

"Yeah, stop picking on me!"

"And stop pretending to be blind! It's evil!"

"I don't believe in evil."

"Oh no, you just believe in tarmackers with sack loads of kidnapped kiddies in their van-"

"Ay, ay, ay, that's not what she's saying."

"Would you stop ganging up on me?!"

"Feeling guilty, are we?"

"Fingers on lips!" The Doctor shouted above everyone, effectively shutting them up. He put his finger over his own lips to demonstrate and everyone reluctantly followed suit. Allyson stood beside the Doctor and Rose with an bemused look on her face. She glanced at the Doctor and saw him looking at her expectantly. She frowned and looked at Rose, seeing her with her finger over her lips Allyson glared at the Doctor.

"_Really?"_ She asked flatly.

"_Really."_ He replied with a light nod. Allyson rolled her eyes and put her finger up to cover her lips, still glaring at the Doctor. The Doctor looked around to make sure everyone had their lips covered before speaking himself.

"In the last 6 days, 3 of your children have been stolen. Snatched out of thin air, right?" The Doctor looked around and saw the old lady who looked unsure if she should raise her hand or not.

"Err, can I?" The Doctor motions for her to speak and replaces his own finger to his lips. "Look around you. This was a safe street 'til it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will. Maybe you're coppers - maybe you're not. I don't care who you are. Can you please help us?" Allyson felt like someone was watching her and she looked up, In the window of one of the houses was a young girl. She nudged Rose and she followed her gaze. One of the women in the group caught what they were looking at and hurried into her home, shortly after the girl disappeared from the window.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor was on his hands and knees in Tommy's dad's yard, sniffing. Rose and Allyson stood back giving him odd looks. "Want a hanky?" Rose joked.

"Can you smell it?" The Doctor continued to sniff, though not as intensely. Rose and Allyson both kneel down in the grass and lean in for a deep sniff. "What does it remind you of?"

"Sort of... metal?" Rose guessed. The Doctor nods.

"Mm-hm!"

"Oooh!" Rose grins from the excitement that's beginning to form. Allyson frowns and takes another sniff before getting up and walking a few feet to sniff another area. A small concentrated frown on her face.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The trio walk down a narrow alleyway. The Doctor and Rose in front of Allyson, who was occasionally sniffing in random places. "Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out the other." He holds up his hand again. "Whoa, there it goes again!" He shows Rose the back of his hand. "Look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand." Allyson rolled her eyes at him but Rose looks intrigued. "Go on! Hold out your hand." He tells her. Rose bits her lip before hesitantly sticking out her hand. The Doctor grabs her wrist and hovers her hand over the area. "Can't you feel it?" Rose frowns, but isn't to upset as she tries to bite back another smile.

"No, I don't feel anything." She gazed up at the Doctors baffled look.

"Allyson?" He asked. The girl wormed her way past Rose and stuck out her arm. The Doctor gently dropped Rose's hand and investigated Allyson's. Little hairs on her arm stood at end, she obviously felt the little tendrils of energy like he did. His eye's quickly looked between the two girls, an confused look on his face. "Odd." He let Allyson drop her hand and Rose took a deep breath, not thinking to much on what just happened.

"And there's that smell... It's like a um.. a burnt fuse plug or something." Rose made a slightly disgusted face.

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanished. Whatever it was, it used an awful lot of power to do this." The Doctor looked around a bit after he tore his gaze from Allyson who was confused. She didn't understand why he was reacting so weirdly to her being able to feel the energy in the air. Surely some people were just more sensitive to things like this, right?

They walk out of the ally and back into the main street. The Doctor looks around, thoroughly confused. "Aren't you a beautiful boy?!" Rose cooed and walked away from the Doctor who had his back turned. Allyson remained by the Doctor, glaring at the pussy cat. The Doctor beams.

"Thanks! I'm experimenting with back-coming." He turns to face Rose but finds her talking to a cat. "Oh." He frowned, slightly disappointed. Allyson stifles her giggles, but fails. A small snort of laughter caught the Doctor's attention. "What're you laughing at?" He glared. Allyson immediately sobered up, aside from a few giggles and feigned innocence.

"I used to have one like you." Rose smiled as she pet the cat, drawing their attention back to her. The cat lets out a adorable meow as she runs her hand down its back. The Doctor watches uncomfortably and Allyson glares at the cat. Rose glances over at them and notices their looks. "What?"

"No, I'm not really a cat person. Once you've been threatened by one in a nun's wimple, it kind of takes the joy out of it." The Doctor made a slightly disgusted face as the cat rubbed against Rose.

"_I hate cats."_ Was all Allyson left it at. The Doctor castes her a concerned look before going back to watching Rose, who was chasing after the cat as it walks over to a box.

"Come here, puss!" She cooed. The Doctor adverted his eyes, not wanting to look at the cat who reminded him of the nun's who tortured Allyson and all of the people of the flesh. "What do you wanna go in there for?" Allyson kept watching, well, more like glaring at the cat. She didn't trust them, even the devolved simple-minded domesticated versions of them. A breeze blows by them and only an echo of the cats meow sounds out of the box. Rose squats down and peers inside the box. "Doctor! Allyson!" She called to them urgently. Allyson grabs the Doctor's jacket and drags him over before he's fully able to react. Rose stands up and plugs her nose, waving her hand in front of her.

"Whoa!" The Doctor and Allyson slam to a halt as the smell reaches them too. "Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" He waves the smell away and picks up the empty box using only his index finger and thumb. He gave it a disgusted look, like it was dirty.

"_Iron residue." _Allyson concluded.

"Blimey! That takes some doing!" He swivels the box around so he can check the back side, an impressed look upon his features. "Just to snatch a living organism out of space/time. This baby is just like, 'I'm 'avin' some of that'." He said, putting on a rough accent. "I'm impressed." Allyson took the box from the Doctor and stuck her head in it, checking for any holes that may have took the cat.

"So the cat's been transported?" Rose looked between the two, they seemed to understand this better than her.

"It can harness huge reserves of ionic power." He roughly pulls the box off Allyson's head, ruffling up her hair in the process. She huffs and casts him a cold look. He drops the box back to where it was and points to it. "We need to find the source of that power." He looks around some. "Find the source and you will find... whatever has taken to stealing children and fluffy animals. You girls go and see what you can see." He pats Rose and Allyson on the shoulder and makes a watching gesture with his hands and eyes. "Keep 'em peeled, Lewis and err...Allyson." Rose and Allyson smile and nod as he walks off. Rose watched him walk away until he was out of view. Allyson watched a small knowing smile, but a bitterness sat in her stomach.

As they walked down the street, Rose had a dazed look in her eyes, like she was daydreaming. "_I know that look."_ Allyson smirked, the bitterness still nestled in her belly. Rose seemed to snap out of her little fantasy and quickly tried to cover it up.

"What look?" She pretended to check out a house across the street.

"_You were thinking about a certain man."_ Rose gave her a hard stare. "_A certain, alien, man. Who happens to be a doctor." _Allyson smirked, knowing she caught her. Rose looked down and blushed. "_You know, I still remember when you and the Doctor rescued me. When that lady took possession of the Doctor. She said that you've been looking."_ Rose's face reddened even more.

"Is it that obvious?" She said slightly under her breath. Allyson gave her another smile.

"_Obviously."_ Allyson sniffed, checking for any smell of the iron residue as she checked out a yard. "_You should tell him."_ Rose snorted at that.

"I basically have." Allyson looked at her and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"_Basically?"_

"Well.." Rose stuttered, embarrassed again. "Short of telling him I love him, yeah." She bit her tongue, a bit of a nervous habit of hers.

"_Tell him."_ Allyson swallowed the bitter taste that rose up into her mouth. She thought briefly that she was getting sick but quickly dismissed it. She felt fine, aside from this growing pungent pang in her. Rose goes to reply when a loud crash catches their attention. Clattering sounded from the garage right next to them and they both walk over to check it out.

"Is that you, puss-cat? Are you trapped?" Rose kneels down by the rolling door, but another loud crash startles her. Allyson quickly pulls her up and hangs on to her, scared that it's not the cat. Rose gently pries Allyson off her and considers the door. "Not gonna open it, not gonna open it. Not gonna open it..." Rose mumbles under her breath as she slowly approaches the door handle. She turns the handle and slowly, tentatively opens it. She peers inside and is knocked back by a scribblely ball of scribbles. Allyson jumps back from the sudden movement and fumbles with her brown jacket as she searches for her sonic. The Doctor suddenly appears from around a corner and runs over to help Rose. He pulls out his sonic just as Allyson finds hers.

"Stay still!" He ordered at Rose as he points his sonic screwdriver at the scribble. It seizes and convulses before collapsing into a small ball which falls into Rose's lap. The Doctor rushes over to Rose and helps her up. "You okay?" He asked, very serious.

"Yeah." Rose gasped, out of breath. The Doctor turns to Allyson who looked like a deer caught in head lights.

"Why didn't you help her?!" He glared. Allyson had always been protective of Rose. It angered him to think that Allyson had actually let Rose go into danger without taking some precautions. Allyson jumped at his tone and wrapped her arms around herself. She bit her lip to keep back the anguish she felt. "You don't just let Rose go investigate something that you don't know what it is! We don't even know what we're up against!" Allyson felt like she had been whipped. "It could have seriously harmed her!"

"Doctor!" Rose gasped, surprised. "It's okay, I'm all right." She quickly hugs him, hoping to distract him from is rage at Allyson. He sighed and looked at the ball of scribbles that he'd picked up, deciding to change the subject.

"I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell it is." He pokes it with his sonic, a frown still evident on his face. "'Cos I haven't got the foggiest."

"Well, I can tell you you've just killed it." She told him as she gave Allyson a concerned look. She stood still as a stone, her arms wrapped around her, and biting her lip. She had her eyes cast down to the ground, feeling guilty. She lightly shook her head and mentally slapped herself. She should have opened the door, not Rose.

"It was never living. It's animated by energy. Same energy that's snatching people." He throws it up and down as he looks down the street, avoiding Allyson. "That is so dinky! That Go-Anywhere creature. Fits in your pocket, makes friends, impresses the boss, breaks the ice at parties." He slips it in his pocket and Rose links her arm with his and they walk back to the TARDIS. Allyson following silently behind them, still hugging herself.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor put the scribble on a scanner in the TARDIS console for her to analyze. Rose stood close by, looking over his shoulder as he worked. "Oh - hi ho, here we go. Let's have a look." He smiled, in a slightly better mood, but was still refusing to look in Allyson's direction. They both look at the computer screen which displayed odd symbols that Rose couldn't read. Allyson walked up behind the Doctor and watched silently. "Get out of here..." He looked surprised.

"What's it say?" Rose asked, looking between him and the computer screen. The Doctor fishes around in his pockets and produces a pencil. He picks up the scribble and indicated to Rose to watch him. He rubs the eraser against the object and it begins to vanish.

"It is!" He smiles as he blows off the dust. "It's graphite! Basically the same material as an HB pencil."

"I was attacked by a pencil scribble?" Rose asked disbelievingly.

"Scribble creature." He sniffs it then lets Rose have a whiff, a familiar metal smell reaching her nose. "Brought into being with ionic energy. Whatever we're dealing with, it can create things as well as take them. But, why make a scribble creature?"

"Maybe it was a mistake. I mean, you scribble over something when you wanna get rid of it. Like a um.. Like a drawing. Like a ..." It dawns on her. "Like a child's drawing." The Doctor glances at her, stunned. "You said it was in the street."

"Probably.." The Doctor answered, still watching her.

"The girl." Rose concluded.

"Of COURSE!" The Doctor threw his arms up in victory. "What girl?" He looked at her confused. Allyson stood back and watched the two, a sharp pain in her chest.

"_There was a girl in one of the houses. We caught her watching us in the street."_

"Something about her gave me the creeps. Even her own mum looked scared of her." Rose finished, the Doctor's eyes never once leaving Rose's face.

"Are you deducting?" He leaned in closer to her.

"I think I am." She gave him a conspiratorial look. The Doctor grinned.

"Copper's hunch?"

"Permission to follow it up, sarge." She beamed.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The trio walk up to the front door to the little girls home and knock. The woman that was out on the street arguing with them before answered the door. She looks at them suspiciously and they give her friendly smiles. "Hello! I'm the Doctor, this is Rose, and Allyson. Can we see your daughter?"

"No!" She snapped at them. "You can't."

"Okay!" The Doctor smiled, unfazed. "Bye." They all turn and walk away in silence, small smiles still on the Doctor's and Rose's face.

"Why?" The lady asked when they were half way down the path. The Doctor turned on his heel, giving her a curious look. "Why do you want to see Chloe?"

"Well, there's some interesting stuff going on in this street, and I just thought - well, we thought- that she might like to give us a hand." He smiled innocently.

"Sorry to bother you." Rose said.

"Yeah, sorry. We'll let you get on with things. On your own. Bye again!" They turn and walk away again and the lady continues to watch them, seeming stuck between decisions.

"Wait!" She called after them. They turn to her again and she wears an helpless expression. "Can you help her?" The Doctor smiles, always happy to help.

"Yes, I can."

..::..::..::..::..:::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Inside Trish's home the TV is playing the news on the Olympic Torch Bearer. Rose sits down the couch, Allyson right next to her and the Doctor flings his coat over the couch. "She stays in her room, most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone." Trish explained, obviously pained by not being able to help her daughter.

"What about Chloe's dad?" Rose asked from the couch.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago." Rose gave her her condolences. "You wouldn't if you'd known him.

"Well!" The Doctor changed the subject again, a bright smile plastered on his face. "Let's go and say hi!"

"I should check on her first. She might be asleep." Trish looked down at her feet, reluctant.

"Why are you afraid of her, Trish?" The Doctor looked at her genuinely confused, but relieved that he was getting somewhere.

"I want you to know before you see her that's she's really a great kid." Trish insisted, not wanting her daughter harmed.

"I'm sure she is." He smiled at her.

"She's never been in trouble at school. You should see her report form last year. 'A's and 'B's." Trish continued to rattle on, proud of her daughter. She smile at Rose and Allyson, and they both return it.

"Can I use your loo?" Rose asked, getting up from the couch. Trish nods and tells her where it is, the Doctor watching her closely as she leaves.

"She's in the choir." Trish continued to the Doctor. "She's singing in an old folks home. Any mum would be proud. You know, I want you to know these tings before you see her, Doctor. Because right now, she's not herself." Trish's voice trailed off as Chloe came down the stairs. Allyson stood up and joined Trish and the Doctor. Chloe walks into the kitchen, the three of them following close behind. The Doctor popped his head in the door to see her getting some milk from the fridge.

"All right, there?" He asked as he walked in, Trish and Allyson behind him. The Doctor walks across the kitchen and settles himself against the counter. "I'm the Doctor." He smiled at her as she turned to face him. Allyson felt another pang, he was really upset with her.

"I'm Chloe Webber." She answered, not really interested.

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?"

"I'm busy. I'm making something. Aren't I, mum?" Chloe looked back at her mom, expecting her to back her up.

"And like I said, she's not been sleeping." Trish said, choosing to not answer.

"But you've been drawing, though. I'm rubbish. Stick men are about my limit. Can do this, though." He held up his hand and did the 'live long and prosper' sign from Star Trek. Chloe looks indifferent. "Can you do that?" Trish nod encouragingly at Chloe, willing her to answer.

"They don't stop moaning." Chloe finally conceited.

"Chloe.." Trish sounded exasperated.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning." Chloe stomped her foot like a stubborn child.

"Who don't?" The Doctor's brow furrowed as he lowers his hand.

"We can be together." Chloe answered.

"Sweetheart." Trish moved over to comfort Chloe but she shy's away.

"Don't touch me, mum." She stops in her tracks, appalled at how Chloe had spoken to her. Her arms drop back down to her sides as she gives the Doctor pleading stare. "I'm busy. Doctor." Chloe then briskly leaves, the Doctor follows after her.

"Oh, come on, Chloe! Don't be a spoil sport!" He called after her, disappointed as he follows her back into the hallway. "What's the big project? I'm dying to know! What're you making up there?"

"Doctor! Allyson!" Rose's terrified voice reaches them from upstairs. They both launch forward and sprint up the stairs, determined to get to Rose. They reached the room and find Rose staring transfixed into Chloe's closet.

"I'm coming to hurt you..." A demonic sounding voice boomed. The Doctor rushed over and slammed the doors shut without so much as a peak inside. Allyson quickly grabbed Rose and checked over Rose.

"Look at it." Rose told them.

"No." They answer. The Doctor quickly walks away from the closet and begins to examine the drawings that were posted up on Chloe's wall. He whipped on his brainy specs as he inspected them.

"What the hell was that?" Trish demanded, holding on to her daughter, terrified.

"A drawing. The face of a man." Rose continued to stare at the doors, still seeing the face.

"What face?" Trish looked at her, begging for an answer. When she see's Rose wasn't going to answer her she tried to open the closet but Rose rams herself against the door.

"Best not." Allyson walked over to Chloe's desk and peaked over at the Doctor, seeing him still engrossed in the drawings on the wall she quietly put on a pair of glasses that she had stolen from him long ago.

"What have you been drawing?" Trish asked Chloe, concern in her voice.

"I drew him yesterday."

"Who?"

"Dad." Trish draw in a sharp breath, not expecting that answer.

"Your dad? But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world. Why him?" Trish was surprised and upset at her daughter as she thought back to the horrible man.

"I dream about him, staring at me."

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?" Trish looked down at her, completely taken back.

"We need to stay together." Was all Chloe told her.

"Yes, we do." Trish smiled slightly, happy to see her daughter coming back to her.

"No. Not you. Us." Chloe walked away from her mother, who looked betrayed. "We need to stay together. And then it'll be all right." Trish follows her daughter and puts her hands on her cheeks. Chloe flinches at the touch.

"Trish, the drawings - have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Rose asked, concerned for the mother.

"Who gave you permission to come into her room?" Trish asked, suddenly becoming cold. "Get out of my house."

"Tell us about the drawings, Chloe." The Doctor asked as he walked away from the drawings, his brows furrowed.

"I don't wanna hear any more of this." Trish demanded.

"But that drawing of her dad, I heard a voice. He spoke." Rose soothed, trying to get her to see reason.

"He's dead. And these - they're kids pictures. Now get out!" Trish demanded again.

"Chloe has a power. And I don't know how, but she used it to take Danny Edwards. Dale Hicks - she's using it to snatch the kids." Rose tried again. Allyson continued to look at some of the drawings. She saw the paper that had a scribble on it, the scribble that attacked Rose. She also saw a picture of a brown haired kid with a cat that looked like the one that vanished on the street.

"Get out." Trish ground out through her teeth.

"Have you seen those drawings move?" Rose plead.

"I haven't seen anything." She replied with disdain.

"Yes you have. Out of the corner of your eye." The Doctor eyed her, watching her reaction.

"No." Trish glared at him.

"And you dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possible explain?" He slowly approaches her. "You dismiss it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever ag-"

"She's a child-" Trish was near tears.

"And you're terrified of her. But there's no one to turn to, because who's gonna believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye? No one. Except me." He gives her a stern look over his glasses and slowly Trish seems to crumble.

"Who are you?"

"I'm help."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

They were all gathered back in the kitchen. The Doctor leaned up against the counter while Rose and Allyson stood by the fridge. Trish paced on the other side of the island. The Doctor notices a jar of marmalade and swipes it off the counter. He unscrews the lid, dips his fingers into and starts to suck the jam off. Rose and Allyson stare incredulously at him. "No." Rose mouthed to him. He pauses, looking like a scolded little school boy. He glances at Trish who hadn't seemed to notice. He quietly screwed the lid back on and slid the jar back onto the counter. "Those pictures - they're alive. She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures." Rose tried to explain to Trish.

"Ionic energy. Chloe's harnessing it to steal those kids and place them in some kind of holding-pen made up of ionic power." The Doctor said, explaining some of the details.

"And what about the dad from hell in her wardrobe?" Rose frowned, none of it really making much sense. Allyson bit her lip, thinking.

"How many times do I have to tell you? He's dead." Trish insisted, getting upset again.

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke." Rose gave her a disbelieving look.

"If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living thing..." The Doctor thought out loud.

"_Just like the scribble."_ Allyson added, the Doctor let out a violent shiver making Rose jump.

"Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares." Realization was on the Doctor's face as he continued,"That dad seems very real. That's the dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this world."

"She always got the worst of it when he was alive." Trish told them, pain in her voice.

"Doctor, how can a 12 year old girl be doing any of this?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's find out." The Doctor said after a pause, he pushes himself off the counter and stride out of the kitchen, Rose and Allyson right behind him. They all enter into Chloe's room and find her sitting cross-legged on the bed. The Doctor stands before her, a smile on his face as he looks down at her. She looks back up at him and flashes him the 'live long and prosper' sign. "Nice one." He kneels down in front of her and places his fingertips on her temples. Her eyes roll back into her skull before closing. Allyson watched remembering the last time he had done that to her, and what had caused him to have to do it. He closed his own eyes, focusing, before Chloe falls backwards on the bed, unconscious. "There we go."

"I can't let him do this-" Trish moved toward them, concerned for her daughter, but Rose and Allyson stop her.

"Shh, it's okay. Trust him." Rose comforted her as the Doctor stood up straight.

"Now we can talk." He spoke to Chloe, ignoring the three girls.

"I want Chloe. Wake her up. I want Chloe." Chloe spoke in a raspy voice, obviously someone was speaking through her.

"Who are you?" The Doctor inquired.

"I want Chloe Webber!" The presence demanded with passion.

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish cried out, upset.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, curious. The Doctor walks slowly around the bed while he watches Chloe.

"I'm speaking to you. The entity that is using this human child. I request parlez in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation." He formality was lost when she responded.

"I don't care about shadows or parlez." She raspily replied.

"So what do you care about?" He gazed down at the unconscious girl.

"I want my friends."

"You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself." He told it as he knelled by her on the bed.

"I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sisters. We take an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone. I hate it. It's not fair. And I hate it!" Her fists pound on the bed and her eyes snap open.

"Name yourself!" The Doctor demanded in a strong voice.

"Isolus."

"You're Isolus. Of course." He realized, as if her being Isolus explained everything.

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family." The Isolus told them, her hand found a paper and pencil and began to sketch.

"What's that?" Trish asked as she looked down at Chloe's drawing.

"The Isolus Mother, drifting in Deep Space." He jumps off the bed. "See, she jettisons millions of fledgling spores. Her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them. They need to be together. They cannot be alone."

"Our journey is long." The Isolus told them, sadness in her voice.

"The Isolus children travel, each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up." The Doctor explained to them all again.

"Thousands of years just floating through space. Poor things - don't they go mad with boredom?" Rose asked, sympathetic towards the beings.

"We play." Chloe answered her.

"You.. play?" She looked at the girl, confused again. The Doctor sits on the bed again.

"Mm. While they travel, they play games. They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play." The Doctor looked down at Chloe again as he spoke.

"In-flight entertainment." Rose said, like she had to become comfortable with the idea.

"Helps keep them happy." He said nodding. "While they're happy, they can feed off each others love. Without it, they're lost." He returns to speaking to the Isolus again. "Why did you come to Earth?"

"We were too close." She rips off the piece of paper she was drawing on and starts new.

"That's a solar flare from your sun." The Doctor realized as he watched the drawing come into form. "Would've made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods."

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there. And I cannot reach them. So alone." A tear dripped out of Chloe's eye. Allyson felt a sadness within her. This little child was so alone and all she wanted was friends, but all the beings she captured in her drawings aren't enough.

"Your pod crashed. Where is it?" The Doctor asked, wanting to help her.

"My pod was drawn to heat." Her voice drifted off, as if she were having a flashback. "And I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me. And I her." The Doctor stroked her hair, soothing the child.

"You empathized with her. You wanted to be with her because she was alone with you." The Doctor had a sad tone to his voice, understanding in his eyes.

"I want my family. It's not fair." She pounded her fists against the bed again. The girls watch, affected by the alien's story.

"I understand. You wanna make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself."

"I am alone." A thump from the wardrobe startled everyone.

"I'm coming to hurt you." Chloe's dad threatened. Chloe starts to shake and tremble, fear gripping tight in the little girl. The pounding on the door worsens. "I'm coming."

"Trish, how do you calm her?" The Doctor looked to her mother for help as Chloe's body continued to jerk about.

"What?!" Trish asked, thoroughly confused.

"When she has nightmares, what do you do?"

"I..I.." Trish stuttered, too scared and confused to think straight.

"What do you do?" He pushed, more urgent than before.

"I sing to her." Trish finally answered.

"Then start singing." He told her, motioning for her to sit by her daughter and sing. Trish rushes to her daughters side, taking the Doctor's spot.

"Chloe, I'm coming." The voice raged again.

"Kookaburra sit in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he." Trish begins to sing.

"Chloe... Chloe.." The voice boomed harshly as the banging and thumping continues. Rose and the Doctor look over at the door, concerned and worried. Trish strokes Chloe's hair, trying to soothe her. "Chloe... Chloe.."

"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be." The banging got stronger despite Trish's best efforts. Panic raised up into Allyson's throat as she glanced at the Doctor, Rose, Trish, and Chloe before she rushed over and sat by the two girls on the bed. She placed one hand on Trish's and the other on Chloe's cheek. Trish gave the girl an odd look, but kept singing. Allyson closed her eyes and focused on creating a block in Chloe's mind with the song, barring the horrible thoughts and soothing the girl. The clatter in the closet began to quiet down as Chloe stopped whimpering and jerking around. "Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be." Chloe's chest rises and falls evenly, fast asleep. "He came to her because she was lonely. Chloe, I'm sorry." Trish said in tears. Allyson removes her hands as Trish buries her face in her girl's shoulder and sobs. She gently rubs the woman's back, trying to comfort her.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Trish was striding around the house, gathering up pencils and pens and hiding them. "Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper. When he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car, I thought we were free." Trish told them, as she grabbed a handful of pencils Rose had gathered. "I thought it was over."

"Did you talk to her about it?" Rose asked, knowing you have to talk about issues to resolve them.

"I didn't want to." Rose sits down on the couch again, next to Allyson.

"But, maybe that's why Chloe feels so alone. 'Cos she has all these terrible dreams about her dad, but she can't talk to you about them."

"Her and the Isolus. Two lonely kids who need each other." The Doctor stared at the floor as he sat in a chair, opposite of Rose and Allyson.

"And it won't stop, will it, Doctor?" Rose gave him a hopeful look. "It'll just keep pulling kids in."

"It's desperate to be loved." He shrugged his shoulders, "It's use to a pretty big family."

"How big?" Rose asked.

"Say around... 4 billion?" Allyson let out a low whistle as Trish and Rose looked stunned at the Doctor. Rose turned her attention to the television which was still covering the progress of the torch.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::.::..::..::..

The three of them walk out of Trish's house, heading back to the TARDIS. "We need that pod." He said, adjusting his coat as he walked.

"It crashed - won't it be destroyed?" Rose asked, concerned.

"_If her pod was drawn to heat then hopefully any heat it's been leeching in has kept it in a fit state to launch."_ Allyson chirped up from behind, still a bit unsure if the Doctor was upset with her.

"It must be close. It should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace. Once we find it, then we can stop the Isolus." The Doctor nodded as the walked further down the street.

"We can scan for the same trace we picked up from the scribble creature. Just need to widen the field a bit." The Doctor explained as they reached the TARDIS. He fishes around in his pockets for the TARDIS key and opens the door. They walk inside and the Doctor begins to hunt around for random machinery. Rose takes a seat in the seat by the console and watches him rush about, looking for pieces. Allyson simply stood against the rail, knowing he wouldn't want her help.

"You knew the Isolus was lonely before it told you. How?" Rose asked, trying to understand. He shoves Rose of the chair and sits down himself.

"I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. Give me the stina magnetic erm." He paused and chews on his cheek before violently pointing to her left hand. "The thing in your left hand." Rose frowns a bit confused.

"Sounds like you're on its side." She slides the 'thingy' into the device that the Doctor held between his legs.

"I sympathize, that's all." He told her as he began to check it over.

"The Isolus has caused a lot of pain for those people." Rose said, getting upset again.

"_It's a child, Rose. It doesn't know it's doing wrong."_ Allyson explained.

"That's why it went to Chloe, two lonely mixed up kids." He continued as he blew into the device.

"Hm, feels to me like a temper tantrum because it can't get it's own way."

"It's scared!" He looked at her exasperated, "Come on, you were a kid once. Binary dot." He held out his hand as he returned his attention to the device.

"Yes!" She handed them the dot, "And I know what kids can be like. Right little...terrors."

"_The Isolus is used to 4 billion siblings. It just wants to not be alone."_ The Doctor held his hand in front of Rose's mouth, she gave him confused look.

"Gum." She raises an eyebrow but complies and spits out her gum into his palm.

"I've got cousins. Kids can't have it all their own way. That's part of being a family." She watched as the Doctor stuck her gum into a hole in the object.

"What about trying to understand them?"

"Easy for you to say. You don't have kids." Rose faces away from him, a slight smile on her face.

"I was a dad once." He told her off-handedly, like he didn't really realize what he had said. Rose gawks at him.

"What did you say?" Allyson glanced down at her feet, remembering the conversation she had with the Doctor. She bit her lip as the pain that he felt came washing over her. The Doctor continued working, not really noticing the effect his words had on Rose.

"I think we're there!" He stands up and strides over to the console. "Fear. Loneliness. They're the big ones, Rose. Some of the most terrible acts ever committed have been inspired by them. We're not dealing with something that wants to conquer or destroy." Rose just stands, still completely shell-shocked at the fact that the Doctor was a father but he continued on, oblivious as he pulled levers and pressed buttons. "There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe." He began pointing to random switches. "Warp drive. Wormhole refractors." Rose holds her hand out, obviously pointing at something. "You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold." He catches sight of Rose's hand and takes it, grinning at her.

"No!" Rose laughs, "Looking, I'm pointing." Allyson smiles slightly, upset that the Doctor still seemed to be ignoring her. The Doctor looks at the computer screen where Rose was pointing to see a white blinking dot.

"It's the pod!" He hollered, excited. "It is in the street! Everything's coming up Doctor!" As he scoots off towards the doors he pauses, thinking. He hands Allyson the device and walks into the depths of the TARDIS. "One moment, forgot something." The Doctor comes strutting back into the console room, looking slightly refreshed. "Ah! Much better!" They all walk out of the TARDIS and into the street. "Okay. It's about 2 inches across. Dull grey, like a gulls egg. Very light." He described while he locked the TARDIS.

"So these pods - they travel from sun to sun using heat, yeah?" They all turn and begin to walk away from the TARDIS and towards the street. "So it's not all about love and stuff. Doesn't the pod just need heat?" A crash catches their attention and they turn to find Allyson and the TARDIS gone.

"Allyson?" They both ask, baffled as they noticed the TARDIS was gone too.

"Doctor?" Rose looked at the Doctor scared. "Where's Allyson?"

"The Isolus must have took her." He took a deep sniff by the broken device. "Ionic residue. Yup. It must have seen her as a threat. But why her? It could have just as easily taken me." The Doctor frowned confused.

"Well we have to rescue her!" Rose nearly screamed.

"Calm down, Rose. Panicking won't bring her back." He rested his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her as he looked her in the eye. "Let's go see Chloe. She obviously got hold of some pencils."

They rush up to the door of Trish's house and knock frantically. Trish opens the door but they barged past her and up the stairs to Chloe's room. "It's okay! I've taken all the pencils off her!" Trish yelled up at them. They burst into Chloe's room and rush over to the girl at the desk. Rose snatches the pencils while the Doctor nabs the paper.

"Leave me alone! I want to be with Chloe Webber! I love Chloe Webber!" The Isolus's raspy voice chided them. Rose gently takes the paper from the Doctor and looks down at the child drawing of Allyson and the TARDIS. The Doctor put his hands on the desk and back of the chair, effectively caging Chloe.

"Bring. Her. Back. Now." He spoke dangerously low as he stared her down.

"No."

"Why did you take her? All she wanted to do was help!" Rose yelled at her.

"Leave me alone! I love Chloe Webber!" Rose's face softens but the Doctor's remains hard.

"I know." Rose whispers. "I know." She looks down at the paper again. "Allyson, if you can hear me. Me and the Doctor are going to get you out of there. We'll find the pod." The Doctor pushed away from the desk roughly.

"Don't leave her alone. No matter what." He told Trish between his teeth as he stalks out of the room, Rose right on his heels. They rush outside of the house and look around. They spot Kel the council worker caressing the smooth pavement with the palm of his hand.

"You said it wanted heat, yeah? They travel on heat?" Rose looked at the Doctor, anger still bubbling up inside her.

"Yeah." He spoke, a dangerous look still in his eye. They both stomp over to Kel, determination in their step as they approached him. "Kel. Was ther anything in this street in the last few days giving off a lot of heat?" The Doctor asked, wanting an answer immediately.

"I mean, you can eat your dinner off this. Beautiful. So you tell me why the other one's got a lump in it when I gave it the same love and craftsmanship I did this one!" Kel continued to coo to the street, seemingly in love with it. The Doctor abruptly pulled the man up by his shirt. "Yeah, well, when you've worked it out, put it in a big book about tarmacking. But answer me this, right now. Think back six days." Fear flashed through Kel's eyes as he felt the anger radiate off the man that gripped his shirt in a fist.

"Six days." He thought back, "When I was laying this the first time round!" He answered as quickly as he could, hoping the Doctor would let him go, which he did.

"Six days." The Doctor looked down at the street, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well, that's when I filled in this pothole for the first time.

"Six days ago." Rose mumbled, thinking hard. "Hot fresh tar." Kel nodded, proud.

"Blended to a secret council recipe." The Doctor quickly rushes off to the van, Kel yells after him.

"Ah! I don't keep it in the van!" The Doctor wrenches open the doors and begins to rifle through the tools. "Ay, that's a council van. Out." Kel ordered as he was about to grab the Doctor and pull him out but Rose gripped him on the arm and casted him a warning look. He looked weary but relented. The Doctor stepped out with an axe on his shoulder, a flat look on his face. "Whoa, wait, wait, wait, you just removed a council axe from a council van. Put it back. No don't wait - put the axe back in the van, that's my van. Gimme the axe." Kel chased after the Doctor as he lined the axe up with the pot hole. Rose pulled the man back.

"Stay out of the way." She warned him. The Doctor swung the axe and struck the tarmac once.

"No! Wait! No!" Kel cried, obviously upset and confused. The Doctor continues to assault the road. "You just took a council axe - from a council van - and now you're digging up a council road!" Kel yelled, outraged. The Doctor stopped briefly after he dug up a hole and glared at the man.

"Report me to the council then!" He shouted back at the man as he and Rose dug around in the broken up tarmac. Rose pulls out the dull grey pod from under a chunk of tarmac and smiled, relieved.

"It went for the hottest thing in the street. His tar!" She laughs lightly, hope blossoming through her.

"What is it?!" The road worker demanded.

"A spaceship. Bring the axe." The Doctor answer blandly as he examined it in Rose's hand. The Doctor grabbed the pod and tossed it up before catching it again and standing. He grabs Rose's hand and drags her back to the house after she snatches the axe off the ground.. They nearly break down the door and rage burns deep within the Doctor again when he sees Trish alone.

"I told you not to leave her alone!" He yelled, his rage evident.

"My God. Er - what's going on here?" The TV catches their attention and see the stadium, where the Olympics are being held, empty. Kel appears at the door, still angry.

"I don't care if you've got Snow White and the Seven Dwarves buried under there,you don't go digging up-"

"Shut up and look!" Rose interrupted him, pointing at the TV.

"The crowd has vanished! Er - um.. they're gone. Everyone has gone. Thousands of people have just gone. Er... um.. right in front of my eyes. It's impossible! Bob, can we join you in the box?" The screen cuts to an empty box. "Bob? Not you too, Bob?!"

"The stadium won't be enough. The Isolus has 4 billion brothers and sisters. It's gonna want more." The Doctor worked out.

"Over 80 thousand spectators and 13 thousand athletes." The announcer paused, just completely at a lost. "They're gone! All of those people. Er... it's terrible, terrible turn of events." The Doctor ruffled his hair, trying to work out what to do. He suddenly stops and turns to Rose. He dashes upstairs and up to Chloe's door. He jiggles the handle but the door doesn't move. He faces Rose a deadly serious look on his face.

"Axe." Was all he told her. She nodded and the Doctor grabbed Trish to pull her out of the way as Rose started to smash the door. Once she had a hold large enough to push the chair away from the door, she busted into the room, the Doctor and Trish right behind her.

"We've got to stop her!" The Doctor yelled out. They both advance toward Chloe but the closet rattles dangerously as a red glow emits from within.

"If you stop Chloe Webber, I will let him out. We will let him out together. I cannot be alone. It's not fair." The Isolus threatened.

"I'm coming to hurt you." Chloe's dad warned. Rose snags the pod from the Doctor and holds it out to Chloe.

"Look, we've got your pod. You can go home." Chloe looked at the pod but quickly dismissed it.

"The pod is dead." Chloe told them and she resumed drawing a large image of the Earth on her wall.

"No, it only needs heat!" The Doctor told her. He was sick of this game. He wanted Allyson back, safely.

"It needs more than heat." Chloe answered, not looking from her drawing. Kel walked into the room and looked around.

"Oh God! That image just moved!" He pointed to a random image of a child and then to another. "And that one!" The Doctor followed his hand to see Allyson huddled up by the TARDIS, fear on her face but hope shimmering in her eyes as she stared straight out.

"Of course!" The Doctor cheered as it hit him. He turned towards the TV to see where the Olympic Torch was.

"It's much more than a torch now, it's a beacon. It's a beacon of hope and fortitude and courage. And it's a beacon of love." The commentator voiced over as the athlete ran along the street.

"Love!" The Doctor actually smiled before running out of the room. Rose stood back, a bit unsure of what love had to do with it. The Doctor came rushing back inside and grabbed the pod from her before dashing back out.

The Doctor runs out into the street as if his life depended on it but the street was buzzing with people. He runs into the crowd, squeezing his way through to the front but a policeman stop him. "Sorry,you'll have to watch from here."

"But I'm a police officer! Official Police business. I have to get to the torch!" He demanded, anger fueling him again.

"Badge?" The Doctor peered over the police officer, looking for the athlete but didn't see him. He quickly began patting down his pockets, looking for his psychic paper, again.

"Gah! Where's Allyson when you need her!" The Torch Bearer comes running down the street and the Doctor feels the pod being to vibrate and chirp. He grinned an idea striking him and he shoved out of the crowd again. He cupped the pod in his hands and began to whisper to it. "You feel it, don't you?" He asked it and it buzzed in reply. He smiles and throws the pod in the direction of the pod, hoping that it'll seek out the love. The pod fly's through the air and into the flame, causing the athlete to stumble slightly. The Doctor jumps in the air with a victorious pump of his fist. "Yes!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose was watching the Torch Bearer from Chloe's room and cheered when she saw the runner stumble. Chloe stopped coloring on the wall, her drawing nearly finished. "I can go home. Goodbye, Chloe Webber. I love you." Rose watched as Chloe's eyes rolled back into her head and a small jellyfish like creature emerges from her mouth. The Isolus zooms off through an open window and into it's pod, flying away. Chloe turns to her mum, fear evident in her eyes. The pounding in the closet gone.

"Mum?"

"I'm here." Trish reaches out for her and hugs her daughter.

"He did it!" Kel smiled but paused. "What was it that he did?" Rose just grinned and hugged the man. She rushed out of the house, Kel hot on her heels.

She ran out into the street to see children being reunited with their children and she smiled but a slightly distant look in her eye. "Allyson." She whispered. The old lady from before walked up to her and touched her arm, causing Rose to jump.

"I don't know who you are, or what you did, but thank you darling!" She leans up and kisses Rose's cheek, who in turns laughs. "And thank that man and other woman for me too!" And she walks away, happy. Rose continues to scan the street and the Doctor runs up to her, breathless.

"Where is she Doctor? She should be here?" Rose looked up at him, scared. He looked around, thinking. "All the drawings have come to life." Suddenly his face falls.

"And that means all of them." They both look up to see a red light glowing in Chloe's room.

"Oh, no." Rose whispers, and they run to the house. They start banging on the door.

"Trish! Chloe! Run! Get out!" The Doctor yelled through the glass.

"I can't! The door's stuck!" Trish's voice reached them from the other side of the door.

"Is Allyson in there?" Rose asked, worried about her friend.

"I don't think so!" Trish answered.

"Mummy.." Chloe cried out, scared.

"Chloe, I'm coming to hurt you." Her dad's voice boomed from upstairs.

"Please, dad. No more." Chloe cried as he continued to call her name.

"Chloe, listen to me. It isn't real, like the others." The Doctor spoke quickly. "It's just some of the residual energy left over from the Isolus, but you can get rid of it."

"Help us!" Trish screamed.

"Oh it's 'cos you're so scared that he's real!" Rose screamed back, "But you can get rid of him, Chloe!"

"Mummy!"

"You can do it, Chloe!" Rose encouraged.

"I can't!" She started to cry more.

"Chloe, I'm coming."

"I can't."

"I'm coming."

"Mummy."

"I'm with you, Chloe." Trish looked down at her daughter, wrapping her arms around the girl. " You're not alone. You'll never be alone again."

"Sing, Chloe, Trish! Sing!" The Doctor yelled as he rested his head against the door. They both quiet down, listening to Chloe begin to sing but she was drowned out by her father.

"Trish, you have to sing with her!" Rose shouted into the door. This listened again and they began to hear both of the girls singing and the shouting of Chloe's father began to diminish. Rose and the Doctor sighed with relief and slide down the door, sinking to the ground as they listened to Chloe and Trish sing.

"Doctor, where is she?" Rose asked after a brief span of silence. The Doctor scanned the street, looking for a sign.

"I don't know." He stood up. "You stay to calm these to. I'll go look for her." He walked off towards the crowd.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose sat in the living room with Trish and Chloe, watching the TV. The audience had returned to the stadium. "Just look at this! Utterly incredible scenes at the Olympics stadium - 80 thousand athletes and spectators, they disappeared - they've come back!" Rose sits on the couch, chewing on her nails while she waited for the Doctor and Allyson to show up. "They've returned. They've reappeared. It's quite incredible. Bob, they will certainly.." Rose shook her head, not caring about the audience. She missed Allyson. She wanted her back, now.

"80 thousand people, so where's Allyson?" She began to tear up as she thought that she might never see her again.

"The torch bearer seems to be in a bit of trouble. We did see a flash of lightening earlier which seemed to strike him..eh, maybe he's injured. He's definitely in trouble." They watch on as the runner collapses on the street. "Does this mean that the Olympic Dream is dead?" The commentator asked but a familiar arm stretches down and picks up the torch. The Doctor starts to run with the flame, the crowds following him. "There's a mystery man - he's picked up the flame. We've no idea who he is, er. He's carrying the flame, yes! He's carrying the flame and no one wants to stop him." Rose cheers when she spots Allyson running next to him, her hand clenched in his and wearing his overly large coat. A broad grin plastered on her face. "It's more than a flame now, Bob. It's more than heat and light. It's hope. And it's courage. And it's love."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor was running, a grin on his face and Allyson's hand in his. He had been so thrilled when he'd found her in the TARDIS. He glanced back at her, his heart soaring to see her smiling. He'd felt awful about being upset with her after the incident with Rose. He'd apologized profusely but all she did was smile and hug him. He'd given her his coat when they'd walked out of the TARDIS. She'd left hers in the TARDIS while she was trapped and the cold London air caused her to start to shiver. It just brushed against the ground and hung loosely on her shoulders.

He refused to let her hand drop from his once they hit the stretch of red carpet that led up to where the Olympic Flame was to be. The spot light followed them as they ran on, a huge grin on the Doctor's face still. He'd lit the flame. "Go on. Join your brothers and sisters. They'll be waiting." The crowd screamed and cheered as he gazed up at the flame. The Isolus raised from the flame and into the air, zooming away in to the night. He beams as he turns to face Allyson and he pulls her into a bone crushing hug.

The Doctor and Allyson were walking down the street his hand in his pocket but his other still clenched hers, he'd refused to let go of her hand since he'd found her, Rose sneaks up behind them, a cheeky grin on her face. "Cake?" She startled the Doctor. He turns to see her holding up a cupcake decorated with edible ball bearings. He laughs and gently takes the vanilla dessert.

"Top banana!" He laughed again as he took a bite. Rose quickly pulled Allyson into a hug as the Doctor enjoyed his cake. "Mm! I can't stress this enough. Ball bearings you can eat - Masterpiece!"

"Oh, I thought we'd lost you." Rose held Allyson at arm's length, the dark haired girl just smiled back.

"_Takes more than lonely extraterrestrials to keep me away from you guys!"_ She laughed. They all being to walk down the street.

"What now?" Rose asked the Doctor, the smile never leaving her lips.

"I wanna go to the games! What we came for!" He finished the last of the cupcake and licked the frosting off his fingers.

"Go on - give us a clue - which events do we do well in?" Rose pestered him, Allyson just smiled as Rose put her arms around their shoulders, breaking the Doctor's hold on her hand.

"Well, I will tell you this." He said, mouth still stuffed full of cake. "Papua New Guinea surprises everyone in the shot put."

"Really? You're joking, aren't you?" She giggles. "Doctor, are you serious or are you joking?" The Doctor looks down at her, giving her a secretive smile.

"Wait and see!" Fireworks explode overhead, catching their attention. They watch the colors change and splatter across the sky in silence.

"You know what." Rose said, turning to face the Doctor. "They keep on trying to split us up, but they never ever will." The Doctor glances down at her and stops walking.

"Never say never ever." He told her seriously.

"Nah." She smiled, confident. " We'll always be okay, you, me, and Allyson." She looked over at Allyson and smiled.

"_Always."_ Allyson smiled back but the Doctor didn't reply.

"Don't you reckon, Doctor?" She looks at the Doctor to see him staring at the sky, thinking back. His eyes hold a troubled look to them.

"Something in the air. Something coming." He said, bit distracted.

"What?" Rose and Allyson give him a unsure scared look. He continues to stare at the fireworks.

"A storm's approaching." Was all he said, sending shivers down Rose's spine.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Okay! Well then. That was a fun episode. I hated writing the Doctor getting upset with Allyson but well... he does still like her. I can't just cut Rose out and paste Allyson over her now can I? But this chapter did show him that he feels something for Allyson, he just may not fully realize that. And I really wanted to change up this episode a little bit.

Anywhooo, next two chapters are major ones. We find something out about Allyson and we have Rose leaving. I'm excited! I hope you guys like it!

I'm still looking for last names. Currently I have: Smith, Loranos, and Axola. In all honesty, I don't really want her last name to be Smith. I really love hearing from you guys so by all means leave a review or PM. Any questions, you can ask and I'll answer them, unless they're, you know, about what/who she is ;D

Tatty-bye, loves!


	12. Chapter 12: Army of Ghosts

**"Chapter 12: Army of Ghosts**

"**Planet Earth. This is where I was born. And this is where I died."**

A teenage Rose is sitting on a trolly, eating chips while looking bored and glum as it pulls to a stop.

"**For the first 19 years of my life, nothing happened. Nothing at all."**

The bus resumes its course.

"**Not ever."**

She sighs and leans her forehead against the glass, still munching on chips.

"**And then I met a man called the Doctor.**"

She thinks back to the original Doctor she'd met. The guy with short hair and dumbo ears. He'd grabbed her hand and looked her in the eye. "Run." Was all he said, and they did.

"**And a girl called Allyson.**"

She remembers the frightened girl who she had to help up the elevator chute. She thought about how she'd come so far, seeing her smiling face would always bring a smile to hers. She was like her sister.

"**He was a man who could change his face. And he took me away from home in his magical machine.**"

The current Doctor dashed about the TARDIS console, pressing buttons, pulling levers, and flipping switches, full of energy and enthusiasm. A mad grin on his face and a crazy gleam in his eye. He spins around to face her and throws out his arms. "Ha!"

"**He showed me the whole of time and space. I thought it would never end.**"

The Doctor and Rose stood beside the TARDIS on a rocky barren planet, watching the sunset. Allyson was in the TARDIS, she was trying to fix a radio that the Doctor had somehow ended up murdering. "How long are you gonna stay with me?" He looked down at Rose, their hands intertwined.

"Forever." She smiles up at him. He grins, glad to hear it.

"**That's what I thought. But then came the army of ghosts. Then came Torchwood and the War. And that's when it all ended.**"

Rose was standing on a beach, tears streaming down her cheeks as the wind blew her hair around.

"**This is the story of how I died.**"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The TARDIS materializes in a children's play area, stirring up leaves as it lands. Rose and Allyson step out, Rose carrying a red rucksack. Both girls were stumbling around, laughing like crazy at a story Rose was telling. The Doctor followed close behind, giving them odd looks. They all walked towards the Powell Estate, a spring in their steps, completely at peace and carefree.

"Mum, it's us! We're back!" Rose called out as she opened the front door. They hear excited footsteps and Jackie springs into view.

"On, I don't know why you bother with that phone! You never use it!" Jackie chided as she smiled, glad to see her daughter.

"Shut up, come here!" Rose told her, grinning. Jackie rushed forward and pulled Rose into a bone crushing hug.

"Oh, I love you!" Jackie shook Rose in the hug.

"I love you!" Rose smiled, excited to be home.

"I love you so MUCH!" Jackie grabs Allyson's arm and pulls her into the hug as well. "Ah! I've missed you!" Allyson giggled and happily returns the hug. The Doctor pretends to ignore them and squeezes past them, trying to skitter off. "Oh no you don't. Come here!" Jackie lets go of Rose and Allyson and grabs the Doctor, pulling him down and kisses him. Rose laughs and walks into the living room, throwing down her rucksack. Allyson stood with her back to the door, watching the Doctor and Jackie with a goofy grin. "Oh, you lovely big fella!" She hugs him. "Oh, you're all mine!" The Doctor flails his arms in protest.

"Just - just - just put me down!" He cried, obviously not wanting any of the attention she was pouring on him.

"Yes, you are!" Jackie spoke to him like a dog. She plants another kiss on him and walks off like it never happened. The Doctor watches her go and wipes his mouth with the back of his arm, looking like a little boy with an over-affectionate mother. He shares the look with Allyson who only laughs at him. They join Rose in the sitting area as she dumps the bag into her mom's arm.

"I've got LOADS of washing for ya! And - I got you this!" Rose pulls out a tiny ornate little jar with a cheek splitting grin. "It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of uhm.." She turns to the Doctor and Allyson. "What's it called?"

"_Bezoolium._" Allyson answers. The Doctor to distracted by the magazines lying on the table.

"Bezoolium. When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's gonna rain. When it's hot, it's gonna be sunny! You can use it to tell the weather!" Rose smiled at the amazing little pot.

"I've got a surprise for you and all." Jackie cut in, not really paying attention to Rose's present. "Oh, I get her bezoolum - she doesn't even say 'thanks'." Allyson just kind of shrugs her shoulders, not really knowing what to say to Rose's deflated look.

"Guess who's coming to visit? You're just in time - he'll be here at 10 past!" Jackie continued, ignoring Rose. "Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know." Rose shook her head, astonished at her mother.

"Oh go on, guess!" Jackie gushed.

"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me." Rose threw her head back, exhausted.

"It's your grandad. Grandad Prentice. He's on his way. Any minute." Jackie smiled, very pleased. Rose freezes and stares at her mum. "Right, cup of tea!" Jackie disappears into the kitchen and begins to prepare for tea. The Doctor walks up to the two girls.

"She's gone mad." Rose whispered, stunned.

"Tell me something new." He said as she stared after Jackie.

"Grandad Prentice - that's her dad. But he died like, 10 years ago. Oh my God. She's lost it." She whispered as she walked into the doorway of the kitchen. "Mum? What you just said about grandad.."

"Any second now." Jackie smiled as she poured some tea into cups.

"But." Rose shifts uncomfortably in the doorway. "He passed away. His heart gave out. Do you remember that?"

"Course I do!" She said lightly as she looked at the small group by the door, a small smile still on her face.

"Then how can he come back?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" She checked her watch. "10 past. Here he comes." Jackie readied herself as a blurry figure appears in the kitchen. It's form held no features other than a human shape as it stands beside Jackie. "Here we are, then!" The Doctor, Rose, and Allyson stare in shock at the figure. "Dad, say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?"

"No no no no. This isn't right." The Doctor shook his head and darted out of the room. Rose and Allyson followed closely behind as he dashed out into the street. "They're everywhere!" He looked around, confused. Blurry figures were everywhere. They stood about like ordinary people and no one seemed alarmed by their presence. A small group of kids even ask one if they want to play.

"Doctor, look out!" Rose shouted as a ghost walks through the Doctor. He seizes up, uncomfortable but doesn't feel any pain. Allyson frowns and sticks her arm through the ghost and feels a ominous cold creep up her arm, she quickly pulls it back, a terrified look in her eyes.

"They haven't got long. Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade." Jackie informed them as she joined them in the street.

"_What do you mean, SHIFT?"_ Allyson demanded, perplexed.

"Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?" The Doctor continued to look around, his nose scrunched up in confusion.

"Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?" Jackie stared at the Doctor as she wrung her fingers.

"But no one's running or screaming or freaking out or -" He twirls around, baffled.

"Why should we?" Jackie breathed as she checked her watch. "Here we go. 12 minutes past." Jackie smiles at Rose, biting her lip in anticipation. They all watch as the ghosts begin to disappear. The Doctor's face scrunched up even more, he was thoroughly confused now. They all walk back to the flat, Allyson and the Doctor still looking around.

They all sat in the sitting room, the Doctor on the floor, Allyson on the coffee table and Rose in the couch. They watched the television a program called 'Ghostwatch'. "On today's Ghostwatch, claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge." The TV flickered to footage of ghosts flocking around Westminster Bridge. "It's almost like a military display." The Doctor and Allyson furrowed their brows.

"What the hell's going on?" He demanded again. He flipped through the channels til he cam to another program. It had a weather-like map but instead of clouds or sun it had images of ghosts over the UK.

"And tonight we're expecting very strong ghosts. From London, through the North and up into Scotland." He man pointed to the thick mass of ghost symbols on the map. The Doctor flipped to another channel. It was Trisha Goddard. At the bottom of the screen was a caption that read 'I married a dead man!'.

"So basically, Eileen, what you're telling me is, that you are in love with a ghost." Trisha asked the woman in the seat across from her. Allyson looked taken back by the mere thought of loving a ghost. A ghost stood by Eileen as she cried.

"He's MY ghost and I love him, 24/7!" She said tearfully. An encouraging round of applause breaks out in the audience. He changed the channel again and again until he stopped on a cheesy advertisement. A housewife in a flowery apron was speaking to the camera in her kitchen. A sad looking animated ghost floats around beside her.

"My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered...Ectoshine!" The Doctor gaped at the commercial and quickly changed it.

"Et le President d'aujourd'hui, quelle est -" A French man voiced over as a film of ghosts wandering under the Eiffel Tower was being showed. The channel changed to an Indian news report. Ghosts surrounded the Taj Mahal. He changed it again to an enthusiastic Japanese Newsreader. He drops his head in his hands, defeated.

"Oh, yes!" Jackie cheered, oblivious to the Doctor's distress. Allyson tilted her head to the side as footage of three excited Japanese girls scream and giggle wildly as they show off their ghost merchandise.

"It's all over the world." The Doctor said as he changed the channel again. An episode of Eastenders came on and Peggy Mitchell was having a go at a ghost.

"Listen to me, Denn Watts. I don't care if you HAVE come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whiskey, and vodka. So you heard me. Get out!" The Doctor shakes his hand and flips of the TV. He drops the remote on the floor and runs his hands through his hair.

"When did it start?" He asked, turning to Jackie.

"Well first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down -" Jackie began, gossiping like an old housewife.

"_He means the ghosts, Jackie."_ Allyson said, putting her hand on Jackie's.

"Oh!" Allyson rolls her eyes at the woman. "That was about 2 months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were - ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that, whole planet was panicking. No sign of YOU, thank you very much. Then it sort of sank in. Took us time to realize that, we were lucky."

"_You didn't think to call?"_ Allyson raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well they weren't hurting us. I thought they were harmless." Jackie looked down like a scalded child.

"What makes you think it's grandad?" Rose asked, thinking about how all the ghosts where featureless.

"Just feels like him. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?" Jackie reminisced.

"I wish I could, mum, but I can't." Rose shook her head as she gently put a hand on Jackie's arm.

"You've got to make an effort. You've got to WANT it, sweetheart." Jackie told her, earnest.

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets?" The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sort of, yeah." Jackie shrugged, not thinking much of it.

"Like a psychic link. Course you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."

"You're spoiling it." Jackie told him flatly.

"I'm sorry, Jackie." He had pain in his eyes. "But there's no smell, there's no cigarettes. Just a memory."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they, then?" Rose asked him.

"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them - they LOOK human!"

"She's got a point." Rose acknowledged. "I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."

"Maybe not." The Doctor said thoughtfully. " They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world."

"_A footprint doesn't look like a boot."_ Allyson finished, the Doctor nodded at her.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Rose waltz into the TARDIS, newspaper in hand. The Doctor is beneath the grating tinkering with the underside of the console. Allyson stood by the monitor, reading off the stats to him as he works. "According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds." She drops the paper and stares at the Doctor. "Now don't tell me you're gonna sit back and do nothing." The Doctor suddenly pops up out of the hole, a large device on his back. The tune to Ghostbusters starts playing randomly.

"Who're you gonna call?" He asks, bobbing his head to the beat. Rose doubles in laughter and Allyson raises an eyebrow at his antics.

"Ghostbusters!" Rose cheered, trying to fight off her giggles.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts." He turns on his heel and walks out of the TARDIS, Rose and Allyson following behind him.

"_If anyone ever asks. I don't know you."_ Allyson shook her head as she stood by the door.

"Oh, come now Allyson! I'm not that bad." He whined as he pulled out three cones and started to place them in a triangle. "Jackie, when's the next shift?" He asked, trying to line them up perfectly.

"Quarter to." Jackie answered as she checks her watch. "But don't go causing trouble. What's that lot do?" She indicated to the odd do-hickies.

"_Triangulate their point of origin."_ Allyson crouched down to help the Doctor while Rose and Jackie stood to the side.

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Rose asked coming from deep in thought.

"Nah." The Doctor shook his head.

"_Doesn't fit the m.o."_ Rose shook her head, not expecting to be right.

"They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper." The Doctor inched a cone around, trying to line it up before heading to the next one.

"You're always doing this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real?" A cross Jackie put her hand on her hips, thoroughly upset.

"_Things like this just don't happen, Jackie."_ Allyson stood tall, dusting off her hands. "_Things like this shouldn't be happening, actually. I'm sorry, but no matter how bad you want it to be real, it's not."_ The Doctor continued to work, ignoring Jackie.

"Just think of it, though." Jackie continued, not paying mind to Allyson who just rolled her eyes and resumed helping the Doctor. "All the people we've lost. Our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?" The Doctor pauses in is work and looks Jackie directly in the eye.

"I think it's horrific." Jackie looks taken back. She had not expected that for an answer. "Rose, give us a hand." He stands and takes a coil of cable from Allyson's waiting arms. He leads it into the TARDIS, Rose and Allyson following close behind. They stride up to the console and the Doctor plugs the cord into a socket. Jackie walks in behind them and closes the door.

"As soon as it becomes activated, if that line goes into the red, press that button there. If it doesn't stop..." The Doctor explained at a million miles an hour. Rose watched him seriously, trying to take in everything he was saying. Allyson stood idly by, checking her nails, looking not at all interested. He held his sonic up in front of Rose's face, causing her to go cross eyed from trying to focus on it. "Setting 15B. Hold it against the port, 8 seconds and stop."

"15B, 8 seconds." Rose repeated, nodding so that he knew she got it.

"If it goes into the blue, activate the deep scan on the left." He leaned over to show her but she held up her hand.

"Hang on a minute, I know.." She leaned over the console, looking for a button. "It's that one." She pointed to a blue one.

"Mm, close." He watched her closely. She bites her lip as she looks over the other buttons.

"That one?" The Doctor holds his breath.

"Nnnnnow you've just killed us." Rose giggles before she points at another one.

"Eh, that one?" She looked up from beneath her lashes, hopefully.

"Yeah!" He beams. "Allyson have you got all that?"

"_Yup."_ She bobbed her head, not really showing interest.

"Really?" He put his hands on his hips. "Then what'd I just tell Rose?" He looked expectantly at her. Allyson rolled her eyes.

"_Red, that button." _She pointed to a button right above the monitor. "_Stops, 15B for 8 seconds. Blue, this button here."_ She pointed to the button that Rose was still standing by. She put her hands on her hips, a small smirk playing on her lips. "_Got it, Doctor?"_ He looked down at her, chest fallen, that she'd actually been listening. His arms had fallen to his sides.

"Er, yeah." He shook himself out of his revere and looked over at Jackie. "Um, how much time we got left? Two minutes?" Jackie checked her watch and nodded to him. He dashed outside to hook up the cord to the cones he had placed. Rose took the sonic screwdriver and plugged it into a port by the monitor.

"What's the line doing?" He shouted in from way out side.

"It's all right, it's holding!" Rose yelled back. Jackie slowly walked up to her daughter. Allyson stood by, watching the line on the screen.

"You even look like him." Jackie looked her little girl over, contemplating. "The both of you."

"How d'you mean?" Rose furrowed her borrow and looked her self over. She smiled seeing how much like the Doctor she'd become. "I s'pose I do, yeah."

"You've changed so much." Jackie had a far away tone to her voice, like she was remembering Rose before she left with the Doctor.

"For the better." Rose looked pointedly at her mother.

"I s'pose." She whispered.

"Mum, I used to work in a SHOP." Rose turned to face her mum, getting defensive.

"I've worked in shops. What's wrong with that?" Jackie frowned, crossing her arms. Allyson took over the controls, letting Rose focus on her conversation with her mother.

"No, I didn't mean that." Rose slumped her shoulders, deflated.

"I know what you meant. What happens when I'm gone?" Jackie insisted, thinking nows as good time as any to have this conversation.

"Don't talk like that!" Rose was shocked. She's never heard her mother talk like this before.

"No, but really. When I'm dead and buried, you won't have any reason to come back home. What happens then?" Jackie looked Rose dead in the eye, completely serious and concerned for her daughter.

"I don't know." Rose fiddled with her fingers, not really having thought of that.

"Do you think you'll ever settle down?" Jackie was deeply disturbed and concerned that Rose would never get to experience the adventures of everyday life. Settle down and have a family with children.

"The Doctor never will, so I can't. I'll just keep on traveling." Rose shrugged her shoulders. She wanted a family, but with the Doctor it was just impossible.

"And you'll keep changing. And in 40 years time, 50, there'll be this woman. Walking through the marketplace on some planet a billion miles from Earth. She's not Rose Tyler. Not anymore. She's not even human." Jackie looked near to tears. Allyson kept her head down, watching the screen, trying not to really listen to Jackie and Rose. The Doctor's voice breaks the tension between them causing Rose to jump slightly.

"_The scanner's working - it says 'delta 1 6'."_ Allyson responded, knowing he could hear her better than Rose. Rose turned away from her mother, having enough of the little argument. Allyson caught her eye and gave her a slight smile, trying to reassure her.

"Come on you beauty!" They heard the Doctor cheer from outside the TARDIS, followed by a crazy cackle of laughter. Allyson turned her back on the console and watched the Doctor through the doors, curious. She saw as the space within the triangle of cones began to blur, a ghost was materializing within the space. As the ghost began to take shape the cones started glowing with blue electricity and formed a pyramid, effectively trapping the ghost. Allyson's brow furrowed when she noticed the Doctor had whipped out a pair of 3D glasses. He bent over and adjusted a setting on the cone nearest him, a little green light flicks on. The ghost begins to shudder and groan as he turns the dial.

"Don't like that much, do you?" He laughed. "Who are you? Where are you coming from?" He whispered under his breath as he thought out loud. He let out a yelp of surprise as he received a shock from the ghost. He jumps backwards, startled. "That's more like it! Not so friendly NOW, are you?" The ghost continues to jerk about within the prison the Doctor had created for it. The ghost suddenly vanishes and the Doctor lurches forward, gathering his equipment and returns to the TARDIS.

He dashes into the TARDIS, setting his equipment aside and throwing his coat over the y-beam. "I said so! Those ghost have been FORCED into existence from one specific point! And I can track down the source. Allsons-y!" He smiled, excitement taking over as he pulls a lever. The TARDIS shakes as she takes off, the Doctor and Rose fall backwards into the chair, smiling. Allyson stumbles backwards and nearly falls over but the Doctor quickly grabs her arm and pulls her in his direction, causing her to fall on to him.

When the TARDIS shutters to a stop the Doctor jumps up and beings fiddling with knobs on the console, chattering everyone's ears off. "I like that. 'Allons-y'. I should say 'allons-y' more often. 'Allons-y'. Watch out, Rose Tyler! Allons-y, Allyson!" He paused. "Allons-y, Allyson! Ohh I'm gonna say that often! And THEN, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Allonzo. Because then I could say, 'allons-y, Allonzo'! Every time! But I don't have to because I have you, Allyson! Allons-y, Allyson! You're staring at me." Rose and Allyson had stood silently by watching the Doctor with an amused expression on their faces.

"My mum's still on board." Rose whispered loud enough for him to hear but not Jackie.

"If we end up on Mars, I'm gonna kill you." Jackie said as she swung her legs on the gantries, crossing her arms. The Doctor freezes at the sight of her, a horrified look on his face. Allyson lets out a small little laugh at the Doctor's expense before walking up to the monitor and observing the armed soldiers sitting outside waiting for him.

"_Doctor,"_ Allyson broke him from his thoughts. "_There's armed soldiers out there."_ The Doctor walks up and looks over her shoulder.

"Oh, well there goes the advantage of surprise." His eyes quickly scan over the men. "Still! Cuts to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jackie." He told Rose and Allyson as he walks towards the door.

"I'm not looking after my mum!" Rose cried, trailing after him.

"Well, you brought her!" He fought back, clearly not thrilled with her being here.

"I was kidnapped!" Jackie cried out indignantly as she walked up by her daughter. Rose shoves past the Doctor and blocks the exit, refusing to let him get past her.

"Doctor, they've got guns." She told him warningly, concerned for his life.

"And I haven't. Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" He smiles down at her as he wraps his arm around her waist and manovers her smoothly out of the way. "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high-ground is mine." Allyson rolls her eyes at him. He flashes them all another award winning smile as he opens the door and steps out.

Once outside, he promptly raises his hands as the soldiers click off their safety's. Every gun pointed directly at his head. A tall lean woman walks in, her hair perfectly in place. "Oh! Oh, how marvelous!" She begins to clap. "Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!" She continued, gesturing to the others to follow her lead. The Doctor, wrong footed, tentatively lowered his hands, not quiet sure what to make of the reception he was being given.

"Um. Thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm... the Doctor." He watches them a suspiciously. Everyone begins to applaud him again.

"Oh, I should say! Hurray!" The woman smiled, still the voice of the group.

"You...you've heard of me, then?" He raised an eyebrow as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would BE here. The Doctor and the TARDIS!" Overcome with admiration, she beings to clap again, everyone else following suit. The Doctor gestures for silence, though he was thoroughly enjoying the attention.

"And, and you are?" He asked, as he looked down his nose at her.

"Oh, plenty of time for that. But according to the records, you're not one for traveling alone. The Doctor, Allyson, and their companion. That's a pattern isn't it, right?" The lady peered expectantly at the TARDIS. The Doctor stares at her, not wanting the two girls involved at all. "There's no point in hiding anything. Not from us." Her voice held a sinister quality. "So where are they?" She smiles at him.

"Yes!" He said after a pause, considering "Sorry, good point. They're both just a bit shy, that's all." He opens the TARDIS door and slips his arm inside, feeling about. He grabs Jackie and pulls her out. "But here she is: Rose Tyler." He smiled as he looked her up and down. "Hmm. She's NOT the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that." He mimes chatting with his hand and Jackie glares at him, not at all pleased about this. "And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged 57 years. But she'll do." He shrugged.

"I'm 40!" Jackie shouted at him, appalled at him.

"Deluded. Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well. I say not bad...anyway!" He prattled on again. "Lead on. But not to fast. Her ankle's going."

"I'll show you where my ankles going." Jackie threatened as she crossed her arms.

"And Allyson?" The lady watched him closely. The Doctor stared at her before he reached back into the TARDIS and grabbed Allyson by the hand and pulling her out.

"Right. Here she is! Much better than Rose, mind you." Jackie glared back at him again, vowing to smack him good when no one was watching. "She's brilliant this girl. Wouldn't trade her for the world." He smiled down at her, still holding her hand. The lady smiled knowingly at the two before turning to leave. The three of them following close behind.

"It was only a matter of time until you found us. And at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Doctor." She said as she lead them through a doorway, pushing open the large double doors and revealing a large factor floor. "Welcome to Torchwood." She smiled as the trio looked around at all the alien technology sitting in crates and on tables.

"That's a Jathar Sunglider." The Doctor said, staring at dilapidated piece of technology.

"_And Ockoran anti-gravity disks!"_ Allyson gushed as she inspected a large coil like barrel.

"Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands 10 years ago." The lady said, not hearing Allyson's gushing.

"No, we shot it down. It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare. The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us! Now if you'd like to come with me." She smiled as she began to walk away. The Doctor and Jackie share an incredulous glance with each other. Allyson just stood back, a small confused frown on her lips. "The Torchwood Institute has a motto: 'if it's alien, it's ours'. Anything that comes from the sky - we strip it down, and we use it. For the good of the British Empire."

"For the good of the what?" Jackie asked, baffled.

"The British Empire." She spoke, like she was talking to a partially deaf person.

"There ISN'T a British Empire." Jackie told her, still confused.

"Not yet. Ah, excuse me." She held up a dainty finger and takes a large weapon off a soldier that stood by her. "Now, if you wouldn't mind. Do yo recognize this, Doctor?"

"That's a particle gun." He frown. This isn't right. He already didn't like Torchwood from the Christmas invasion.

"Good, isn't it?" Jackie reaches forward, wanting to touch it but the lady pulls it back out of her reach. "Took us 8 years to get it to work." The Doctor's grip on Allyson's hand tighten some.

"It's the 21st century. You can't HAVE particle guns." He told her sternly, a hard look in his eye.

"We must defend out border against the aliens." She handed the gun back to the soldier. "Thank you... Sebastian, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Sebastian." She smiles and turns back to the Doctor. "I think it's VERY important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organization. People skills. That's what it's all about these days." She smiles smugly. "I"m a people person." Jackie rolls her eyes, already wanting this woman to shove off.

"Have you got anyone called Allonzo?" The Doctor was suddenly distracted by his little rant from earlier. Allyson smacked his arm with her free hand, seeing as he had still refused to let her go.

"No, I don't think so." She thought as she put her finger to her chin. "Is that important?"

"I suppose not." He sighed, disappointed. "What was your name?" He casually walked off to investigate other alien artifacts, dragging Allyson with him.

"Yvonne. Yvonne Hartman."

"_Oh!"_ Allyson smiled gleefully as she noticed something. "_Magnaclamps!"_ The Doctor looked into the box and pulled one out.

"Ah yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to life two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric." He promptly throws the clamp back into the box, dusting his hand of on his pants.

"I could do with that to carry the shopping." Jackie spaced out, thinking of all she could accomplish with such devices.

"All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit. Not the general public's." Yvonne patronized. Jackie shoots her a snide look. The Doctor peers through a magnifying glass, just trying to look distracted as he figures everything out.

"So, what about these ghosts?" He picks up another small device and looks it over.

"Ah yes, the ghosts. They're er.. what you might call a side effect." Yvonne bit her lip.

"Of what?" He looks over at her, gauging her reaction.

"All in good time, Doctor. There is an itinerary, trust me." She raised her eyebrows and smiled. Just then a truck rolls by, on the bed was the TARDIS, strapped down.

"Oi! Where're you taking that?" Jackie frowned, concerned for Rose.

"'If it's alien, its ours'."

"You'll never get inside it." He told her flatly.

"Hm!" Yvonne hummed, still smiling. "Et cetera." She walks away but the Doctor doesn't follow her right away. He watches the TARDIS drive by, Rose peeking through a crack in the door. He sends her an encouraging nod and looks away.

They're currently all walking down a corridor, flanked by armed guards. "All those times I've been on Earth, I'VE never heard of you." The Doctor frowned, clearly upset that something this big was kept from him.

"But of course not. You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown." Yvonne told him, matter-of-factly.

"1879, that was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland." He looked over at Allyson, remembering how she'd saved that man but he and Rose were banished.

"That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf."

"I think he makes half of it up." Jackie looked unimpressed, not really taking any of it to heart.

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great. And fighting the alien horde."

"But if I'm the enemy," He started, conversationally. "Does that mean that I'm a prisoner?"

"Oh, yes." She said lightly as they rounded a corner and coming to face a large black door. "But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this." She pulls out a ID card and presses it against a digital lock, she pushes open the door and they all walk into a tall spacious room. At the back end of it was a large floating sphere. "Now, what do you think of _that?_" She asked impressively. A scientist walks up to them, straightening his jacket as he approaches the Doctor who was gaping at the sphere.

"You must be the Doctor, Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir." The man, known as Rajesh, extends his arm to shake the Doctor's hand but he was too distracted by the sphere. Rajesh quickly put his arm down and awkwardly shifts his gaze to Allyson. "And you must be Allyson. Lovely to meet you." He smiled at her, less awkwardly, and held out his hand. She took his in her free hand and shook it. "I know of the telepathy thing, by the way."

_"Pleased to make your acquaintance."_ She smiled at him and he gave her a quick wink. Allyson quickly pulled back her hand, blushing and uncomfortable. The Doctor sensed her emotions shift and he quickly stepped between the two.

"No. Don't do that." He told Rajesh warningly. The man looked down, dejected and lightly alarmed at the Doctor's protectiveness.

"What IS that thing?" Jackie pried them all away from the little incident and back to the large sphere.

"We got no idea." Yvonne admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"But what's wrong with it?" She gaped.

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh looked at her, curious.

"I dunno." She looks taken back. "Just feels weird." The Doctor darts forwards, dragging Allyson with him again and up the steps the were placed in front of the sphere.

"Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone." Yvonne explained. "Makes you wanna run and hide. Like it's forbidden."

"We tried analyzing it using every device imaginable." Rajesh watched the Doctor and Allyson look over the sphere. The Doctor puts on his 3D specs as he looks at the sphere. "But, according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing. It doesn't age. No heat. No radiation. And - has no atomic mass."

"But I can see it!" Jackie gasped, disturbed by the sphere.

"Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off nothing. It is...absent." Rajesh looked up at the sphere, mystified at the object.

"Well, Doctor?" Yvonne raised a brow, waiting.

"This is a Void Ship." He squinted at the ship, like he was trying to see inside it.

"And what is that?"

"Well, it's impossible for starters." The Doctor started, folding away his 3D specs. "I always thought it was just a theory, but.." He trailed off sounding worried. "It's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space. Traveling through the Void." He sits down on the top step and Allyson is pulled down with him. She seats herself on the step in front of him and he absent mindedly begins to play with her hair.

"And what's 'the Void'?" Rajesh swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat.

"The space between dimensions." He began. "There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions - billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in-between. Containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that - nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down. No life. No time. Without end. My people called it the Void, the Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell." He watched her hair slip between his fingers as he fiddled with her curly locks.

"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?" Rajesh asked.

"To explore. To escape. You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang. End of the universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation."

"You see, we were right." Yvonne said smugly. "There _is_ something inside it."

"Oh yes." The Doctor said, finally looked up from Allyson's hair. His tone slightly wary. Yvonne looked a taken back by it.

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked, not really paying much mind to his tone.

"We don't!" The Doctor suddenly stood. "We send that thing back into Hell." He pointed angrily at the sphere. "How did it get here in the first place?"

"Well, that's how it all started." Yvonne was suddenly uncertain. "The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake."

"Show me." He gave her a hard stare as he gently pulled Allyson to her feet and dragged her behind him. Yvonne and Rajesh exchange a concerned glance as the Doctor exits and turns left but Allyson plants her feet and it halts him. He looks back at her confused.

"_Wrong way, Doctor."_ She said simply. His cheeks tinted a light pink as he corrected himself.

"Right, yes."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Yvonne guides the Doctor and Allyson into a large white room with a people milling about working on computers and talking. The far wall was blank. "The sphere came through here. A hole in the world." She explained, gesturing to the wall. The Doctor pulls Allyson forward as he inspects it, running his hand over the smooth expanse of the wall. "Not active at the moment. But when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up."

"How did you even find it?" The Doctor asked, still focusing on the wall.

"Well, we were getting warning signs for years. A radar black-spot. So we built this place. Torchwood Tower. The breech was 600 feet above sea level. It was the only way to reach it."

"You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance?" He asked her, putting on his 3D glasses. "How much money have you got?"

"Enough." Was all she left it at. She walks away into her office where Jackie stands.

"_Doctor."_ He looks down at her, surprised to hear her talk.

"Yes?"

"_Glasses?"_ She looked at the 3D glasses he had on. His face quickly lit up.

"Ohh!" He pulled them off and handed them to Allyson, finally letting go of her hand. "Have a look for yourself." He beamed as she hesitantly put them on. She looked at the Doctor, blinking rapidly in an attempt to get use to the two different colors. Floating around him were green and red dots. They were constantly in motion, whirling about him as he moved for her. She looked around at every thing but it seemed normal. She looked down at her hands and saw the same particles. She frowned, not sure what to make of it. "Cool, huh?" He let out a nerdy laugh.

"Hold on a minute." Jackie's high pitched voice caught their attention. "We're in Canary Wharf! Must be! This building, it's Canary Wharf." Jackie gushed as she looked out the window.

"Well, that is the public name for it." Yvonne smiled at Jackie. "But to those in the know, it's Torchwood."

"So." The Doctor began, latching onto Allyson's hand and joining Jackie and Yvonne by the window. "You find the breech, probe it, the sphere comes through. 600 feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think, 'oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe?'. Nah, you think 'let's make it BIGGER!'" During his little spiel anger started to seep into his voice and his eyes hardened. Yvonne pushes her nose in the air and walks out of her office.

"It's a massive source of energy. If we can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent. Look, you can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in 2 minutes." She seemed to ignore the Doctor's tone. Allyson grew angry as well. She almost hated to be considered human. All they seem to do is poke things that they shouldn't with sticks and pry everything apart.

"Cancel it." He told her flatly as he followed her.

"I don't think so." She ignored his warning. Allyson's grip began to shut of blood flow into the Doctor's hand as she glared at the woman.

"I"m warning you, cancel it." He could no longer hide his anger as he spoke through clenched teeth.

"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the rights of Man." She wasn't as tall as the Doctor but she still managed to look down at him, trying to make him feel less superior. The Doctor leaned his head back, thinking on what to do.

"All right. Wont take it from me, let her show you." He looked down at Allyson. He'd felt her hand tighten on his when he took attention to her. "She's human. Doesn't speak much, but she is brilliant."

"_But they wont hear me, only you, Rose, and Jackie can unless I touch her and, frankly, I don't want to."_ Allyson continued to glare at the woman.

"_Trust me?"_ He looked down at her, his eyes softening. She glanced away from Yvonne to look back at the Doctor, her heart stuttered at the look in he was giving her.

_"Always."_ She pulled out her sonic screwdriver, still glaring at the woman, and walked over to the glass on the inside of her office, so the glass was between them.

"Sphere comes through." The Doctor said out loud, explaining everything for them. Allyson points her sonic at one of the 'O's in Torchwood and activates it. The glass splinters and cracks as it expands outward. "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension, splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours. With the Human Race hoping and wishing and helping them along! But too many ghosts, and..." He looked at Allyson and she lightly placed a finger tip on the glass and it comes crumbling down.

"Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful." She turns to face the large room and addresses her staff. "Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute!" The Doctor ran up to her, Allyson coming to stand behind him.

"Ms Hartman, I am asking you - please, don't do it." He told her, getting desperate.

"We have done this a thousand times." She told him, blandly.

"Then stop at a thousand!" He yelled furiously. His anger getting slightly out of hand.

"We are in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breech, but equally they an CLOSE it." Yvonne said, straightforwardly. Allyson bit the inside of her cheek as she reached forward to clasp her hand around the woman's wrist, but the Doctor caught her. He and Yvonne stared each other down for a moment before the Doctor seemed to concede.

"Okay." He said lightly as he walks off into her office and grabs a chair. Allyson looked taken back by his sudden retreat and stood by awkwardly.

"Sorry?!" Yvonne gasped, also completely taken by surprise.

"Never mind! As you were." He brushed her off as he messed with the chair.

"What, is that it?" She raised a brow, thinking there maybe something more but also unsure of herself now.

"No!" He sat down on the chair and pulled Allyson down with him, placing her on his lap. "Fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind us. Any chance of a cup of tea?" Allyson stared, confused, at a random object. The Doctor had never sat her on his lap. She bit her lip as she thought. He also never tried to keep her this close to him. She glanced at the Doctor to see him still staring at Yvonne expectantly.

"Ghost Shift in 20 seconds." A lady at a desk called out.

"Mm! Can't WAIT to see it!" The Doctor smiled, but he was still angry.

"You can't stop us, Doctor." Yvonne began suspiciously, thinking he was up to something to physically stop her.

"No, absolutely not!" He turned to face Jackie. "Pull up a chair, Rose! Come and watch the fireworks." Jackie walks up and stands behind the Doctor's chair, looking confused at more than just the Doctor's sudden change in behavior.

"Ghost Shift in 10 seconds. 9...8..." Yvonne shifts, uneasily, in her spot as she continues to stare at the Doctor. He raises his eyes brows, daring her to actually go through with it. "7...6...5...4...3...2..." Yvonne sighs.

"Stop the shift." She broke. "I said stop."

"Thank you." He said with a grateful smile on his face.

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the program will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything." She brandished a finger at him, like she was a mother only allowing him a small treat before dinner.

"I'm glad to be of help." He nodded.

"And someone clear up this glass." She yelled to no one in particular. "They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess." She walks into her office. Allyson and the Doctor stand before following her in with Jackie right behind them. They all settled into Yvonne's office, the Doctor plopped down in a chair and threw his feet up on her desk. Yvonne peered over her laptop at his feet, deciding to let it slide. Jackie and Allyson stood close to him. "So these ghosts, whatever they are - did they build the sphere?"

"Must have." He looked around her office, feeling odd, like he was missing something. "Aimed it at this dimension like a canon ball." He looked up at Allyson and quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his lap again. He smiled brightly, the odd feeling gone.

"Yvonne? I think you should see this." A male voice came from her laptop. "We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor." The Doctor twitches lightly, but quickly covers it up. Yvonne turns the laptop towards Allyson and the Doctor so they can see Rose and Rajesh on the screen.

"She one of yours?" Yvonne asked, quirking a brow.

"Never seen her before in my life." The Doctor shook his head, looking like he was dismissing her.

"Good!" Yvonne smiled. "Then we can have her shot."

"Oh all right then." He sat up straight, holding Allyson by her waist to keep her from falling off. " It'll be worth a try. That's... that's Rose Tyler." He sighed, defeated.

"Sorry." Rose half smiles and waves to the camera. "Hello!" The Doctor and Allyson lightly smile and wave back.

"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's SHE?" She pointed at Jackie.

"I'm her mother." Jackie said proudly, holding up her head.

"Oh, you travel with her mother?"

"He kidnapped me." Jackie said frostily, glaring at him all the while.

"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I traveled through time and space with her mother.." He looked distraught about the whole ordeal.

"Charming." Jackie quipped, not at all thrilled with it either.

"I've got a reputation to uphold!" He admitted, Allyson smiled lightly at him and his oddities. The sound of the Ghost Shift engines starting up distracted them all. Yvonne stands and rushes out of her office.

"Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift." She demanded, but they ignored her. "Who started the program? But - I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?!" She points to one of the levers, which were rising upwards on there own accord. "Step away from the monitors, everyone." No one listens, they continue to type. Yvonne begins to panic. "Gareth, Addy - stop what you're doing, RIGHT NOW. Matt. Step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers!" Two scientists rush over and begin to pull them down fruitlessly. "Stop the levers!"

"What's SHE doing?" The Doctor asked, walking up to Addy.

"Addy? Step away from the desk." Yvonne demanded, following the Doctor. He stares at her and clicks his fingers in front of her face but she doesn't react at all. "Listen to me. Step away from the desk."

"She can't hear you." He looks over her shoulder at her computer screen. "They're overriding the system." He stands up and looks at the blank wall. Yvonne, Allyson, and Jackie joining him. "We're going into Ghost Shift."

Allyson looks Addy over and gently tugs on the Doctor's sleeve. He quickly diverts his attention to and she points to Addy's ear pieces. "_It's the ear pieces, from before."_ He leans over Addy's shoulders and inspects them.

"I've seen this before." He took out his sonic screwdriver and stood tall behind her, an apologetic look in is eye. "Sorry. I'm so sorry." He said sincerely. He holds the sonic to her ear piece and deactivates it. She screams in pain before slumping over the keyboard, dead. Matt and Gareth do the same since all the ear pods were connected to hers.

"What happened?" Yvonne demanded, looking around confused. "What did you just do?"

"They're dead." He answered flatly, not thrilled with what he had to do.

"You killed them." Jackie gasped, disgusted.

"Oh someone else did that long before I got here." He said turning to the computer.

"But you killed them!" She insisted. Anger flared inside the Doctor.

"Jackie, I haven't got time for this." He half yelled at her, resuming his work on Addy's computer. Yvonne walks over.

"What're those ear pieces?" She asked as she leaned over to look at them.

"Don't." He warned her as Allyson walked over to Matt's desk and began working on his computer.

"But they're standard communication devices - how does it control them?" She tentatively reached out to touch the pod.

"Trust me, leave them alone." He warned, knowing what would happen. He walked over to Matt's desk as well and watched Allyson work.

"But what are they?" She asked again as she takes hold of the ear piece in Addy's ear and pulls it right out, a trail of brain tissue attached to it. "Urgh!" She gagged. "Oh, God! It goes inside their brain!" She quickly drops it and tries not to throw up.

"What about the Ghost Shift?" The Doctor asked, ignoring her. He had warned her.

"90 percent there. It's still running. Cant you stop it?" Yvonne said, looking at the screen.

"They're still controlling it. They've hi-jacked the system."

"Who's THEY?" Yvonne demanded. The Doctor takes his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and holds it flat on the palm of his hand, turning slowly.

"It might be a remote transmitter but it's gotta be close by. I can trace it." He take a step but stops and lightly beats his sonic, confused. "But it's gone all wonky." He frowned. Allyson quickly stood up and snatched his sonic before handing him hers. He smiles as he resumes his work. He quickly darts off, finally receiving a clear signal. "Jackie, stay here! Allyson, you too!" Allyson huffs at him as she watches his retreating back. She'd given him **her** sonic screwdriver and he's telling her to sit here? She continued to type away on the computer, keeping tabs on the Doctor with her mind, only vaguely catching his emotions and snippets of what he was seeing.

..::..::..::.::..::..::..::..::..::..::.

Allyson was still typing on Matt's computer when she heard footsteps approaching from the corridor that the Doctor had disappeared down. "Get away from the machines - do what they say, don't fight them!" She heard the Doctor yell as he walked into the room, his hands on his head and Yvonne right next to him. A Cyberman walks in and shoots one of the scientists dead. Allyson quickly jumps away from the computer before any of the Cybermen could see her.

"What are they?" Jackie asked, terrified. Allyson runs up to her and wraps her arms around the woman, hoping to comfort her and herself.

"We are the Cybermen." The one closest to them answered, taking charge. "The Ghost Shift will be increased to 100 percent." It clamps a fist into it's chest and the levers begin to rise again, all on their own.

"Online." An automated computer voice announced. The light in the room brightens as the portal opens.

"Here come the ghosts." The Doctor said, casting a worried glance at Allyson.

"These Cybermen - what've they got to do with the ghosts?" Jackie looked confused at the Doctor once things had settled down. They were being held in Yvonne's office, which was being guarded.

"Do you never listen? A footprint doesn't look like a boot!" The Doctor told her, flabbergasted at how dense she was.

"Achieving full transfer." One of the Cybermen said out loud.

"They're Cybermen. All of the ghosts are Cybermen." He gently wrapped an arm around Allyson's waist, keeping her near him as they watched the portal. Blurry figures began to march from the source, slowly becoming more defined. "Millions of them. Right across the world." The blurry figures come into full view, Cybermen stood in lines on the floor. Millions of others all around the globe also came into view, scaring the citizens of the wold. They stood in military formation, ready for battle.

"They're invading the whole planet." Yvonne gasped. Allyson glared at her, this was all her fault.

"It's not an invasion." The Doctor told her simply, a horrifying pit opened up in Yvonne's stomach. "It's too late for that. It's a victory." A beeping catches their attention and they look at Yvonne's laptop to see it flashing a warning.

"Sphere activated." It repeated. "Sphere activated." The Doctor looked down at it confused. Allyson looked own at it as well.

"_What does that mean, Doctor?"_

"_I don't know."_ He stalks up to a nearby Cyberman, leaving Allyson over by Jackie and Yvonne. "What I don't understand is Cyberman don't have the technology to build the Void Ship, that's WAY beyond you. How did you create that sphere?"

"The sphere is not ours." It answered mechanically.

"What?" He looked stunned. If it wasn't their's, then whose was it?

"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."

"Then what's inside it?" The Doctor looked scared, thinking of all the alien species who could have such technology.

"Rose is down there." Jackie grabbed hold of the Doctor's arm, fearful for her daughter.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Okay, soo this is part one! Once this season is done I will answer any questions you have about it. (besides who Allyson is, of course!) So feel free to ask them and I will answer them in the next A/N.

I'm still taking suggestions for Allyson's last name. Once I have 10 I will chose my favorites and put up a poll on my profile page and let you all vote! I'll leave it open for ohhhh how does 2 weeks sound? Or should it be a bit longer?

Review please =D

Tatty bye, loves!


	13. Chapter 13: Doomsday

**Doomsday**

Allyson clung to Jackie, trying to calm the poor woman. Jackie stared fearfully at the Doctor, hoping he would tell her that Rose was okay and that everything would be fine. Allyson shared a somber look with him; they both had a terrible feeling about this.

"What's down there? She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?" Jackie demanded, tears threatening to fall. Allyson looked down, biting her lip.

"_I'm sure she's fine."_ Allyson tried to reassure her, feeling the woman's panic and hysteria flood over. Jackie snapped at Allyson, anger sparked in her eyes.

"Don't you dare!" She pointed a reprimanding finger into Allyson's face. "I know how bad things can get with the Doctor around! Don't you dare try to feed me false promises."

"_Rose is smart and clever. She can handle herself."_ Allyson tried to grab Jackie's hand but the woman wretched away from her. Allyson lowered her hands, rejected but still met Jackie's gaze. "_I believe in her."_

"I'll find her." The Doctor walked up between them, snagging Allyson's hand in his. "I brought you here, I'll get you all out. You, your daughter, and you, Allyson." Tears flooded over Jackie's cheeks as the immensity of the situation began to hit her. "Jackie, look at me." Jackie looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. "Look at me." He told her flatly, commanding her attention. She looked up at him, her glistening tear soaked eyes filled with fear. "I promise you. I give you my word."

A Cyberman marches up to Yvonne, who was sitting in her desk not really paying much mind to the little incident that occurred behind her. "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender." Its mechanical voice told her.

"Oh, do some research." Yvonne's voice was brave and strong, not once betraying the pit of fear that ate at her belly. "We haven't GOT a central world authority."

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths." It thrust its fist into the logo on its chest again. "This broadcast is for human kind." It began as the Doctor whipped out his 3D specs and looked around. "Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet. But you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and color and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

Everyone walked over to the windows in Yvonne's office, glancing down at the street below they saw chaos. Everyone running around screaming. The military retaliated and shot at the metal men, but their bullets did nothing. The Cybermen held up their arms and fired blue lasers at the offending citizens, killing them instantly.

"I ordered surrender." The Cyberman commanded. It seemed lightly confused as to why none of the humans did as it command.

"They're not taking instructions." The Doctor glared at the machine, malice in his eyes as he gripped Allyson's hand even tighter. "Don't you understand? You're on every street – you're in their homes. You've got their children. Of course they're gonna fight." Anger rolled of him in waves, crashing into Allyson.

"They will surrender. It is the only option." It barked back.

"No! They're human beings!" The Doctor tried to get the point across but his patience was very thin due to his anger. "They'll fight tooth and nail for their family. Regardless if they only have one option." The Cyberman stood still for a moment, as if processing the Doctor's words.

"Scans detect unknown technology active within sphere chamber." It suddenly changed topic. The Doctor frowned, his brows furrowing in confusion as he took off the 3D glasses. Whatever had caused the Cyberman to prioritize this sphere must mean something. The Cyberman ordered two Cybermen to go and investigate the sphere chamber. They obeyed. The Cyberman turns to face Yvonne's desk and seems to stare at her laptop. "Unit's open visual link."

The laptop screen lit up to show a visual of a corridor. "Visual contact established." The head Cyberman confirmed. Allyson, Jackie, and the Doctor all huddle around the laptop, trying to see the screen. The Doctor's breath hitches in this throat as he catches sight of a metal creature that had a domed head with two lights on either side and a long metal eye stalk facing forward. The thorax of the alien held two arms, one just a stick and another a long shaft with a suction cup on the end. The bottom of it ended like a metal skirt with half spheres creating rows down to the floor. Allyson stared at the metal creature, the taste of bile burned the back of her tongue and her heart raced. Her palms became slick and cold. Her knees fell flimsy and unstable. She didn't know what it was but she feared it. It was not a child's fear of the dark either; it was a deep primal fear that told her to run. Run as fast and as far as she could and hide.

"Identify yourselves." Its scratchy voice echoed down the hall as the lights on its head lit up.

"You will identify first." The Cybermen ordered.

"State your identity." It barked, refusing to name itself first. Allyson glanced up at the Doctor, hoping that he could tell her that it wasn't as bad as she feared; but his eyes held a deep terror, like it was far worse than he originally thought. It wasn't as bad as she feared, she realized. It was far far worse.

"You will identify first." The Cyberman ordered yet again, refusing to give in.

"Identify!" The metal contraption shrieked, obviously becoming frustrated.

"Illogical, you will modify."

"Daleks do not take orders." Allyson's heart skipped a beat. Daleks. That word bounced around in her head, why does that name terrify her so? The Doctor continued to watch the happenings on screen, oblivious to Allyson's distress.

"You have identified as Daleks." The Cyberman confirmed, having all the information it needed.

"Outline resembles the INFERIOR species known as 'Cybermen'." The Dalek assessed. If she weren't so terrified, Allyson would have rolled her eyes. Now why couldn't they just do that in the beginning? Jackie, keeping her eyes locked on the screen, gently tugged on the Doctor's sleeve.

"Rose said about the Daleks." Fear was etched in her voice. "She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?" He leans back, his mind racing with possibilities. Allyson kept her eyes glued to the screen, barely listening to Jackie and the Doctor.

"Phone." He orders through gritted teeth. He was suddenly in a hurry. Jackie looks at him appalled.

"What did you -?" She whispered, taken back by how he could be more concerned about a phone at a time like this.

"Phone!" He demanded, holding out his hand. Jackie jumps at his tone but stealthfully slides him her phone, afraid of the Cybermen catching sight. He quickly dials Rose's number and holds the phone to his ear, ignoring the dangerous metal men around him. He was frantic with worry. He'd gotten caught up in the excitement of the moment that he'd forgotten that Rose wasn't safe in the TARDIS. Jackie's phone rings a few times before silence answers the call. Relief flashes across the Doctor's face. "She's answered, she's alive." He breathed. Allyson lets out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding and Jackie clasps her hand over her mouth, also greatly relieved. "Why haven't they killed her?" The Doctor looked baffled at the phone. Daleks weren't known to spare those inferior to them.

"Well, don't complain!" Jackie smacked his arm. It's just like him to question the good things.

"_They must need her."_ Allyson piped up, finally getting her mind in gear. The Doctor held up a finger, causing the two girls to stop whatever they were thinking and watch him as he listened to the phone.

"The Genesis Ark?" He frowned. He could barely make out the Daleks talking. A darkness gnawed at this conscious. Why was that so ominous sounding? He snapped on his 3D glasses again and turned to the laptop screen, observing the Dalek.

"Our species our similar." The lead Cyberman reasoned to the Dalek. "Though your design is inelegant."

"Daleks have no concept of elegance." The Dalek almost snorted at the absurdity of the Cyberman.

"This is obvious. But consider – our technologies are compatible." The Cyberman seemed to be trying to reason with them. "Cybermen plus Daleks – together, we could upgrade the Universe."

"You propose an alliance?" Allyson had a feeling that the Dalek wanted to laugh, but she wasn't sure if they were physically capable of it.

"This is correct." The Cyberman confirmed.

"Request denied." The Dalek waved it arms as it shook its head back and forth. The Cybermen immediately rose their arms up, prepared to fire.

"Hostile elements will be deleted." They shot at the Dalek, but the lasers simply ricochet off the Daleks armor. The Dalek stood there, unmoving.

"EXTERMINATE!" It cried out before blasting both the Cybermen, in succession. Both fell to the floor, dead.

"Open visual link." The Cyberman in Yvonne's office clasped its logo and the laptop showed more Daleks in the sphere room. "Daleks, be warned: you have declared war upon the Cybermen." Jackie's eyes widen in horror as she catches sight of the Daleks. She frantically searched the screen, looking for Rose but she couldn't see her. The Daleks took up the whole screen.

"This is not war." The black Dalek shrieked. "This is pest control."

"We have 5 million Cybermen. How may are you?" The Cyberman scoffed, not believing anything could surpass them.

"Four." The black Dalek's shrill voice echoed back.

"You would destroy the Cybermen with FOUR Daleks?" The lead Cyberman seemed to reject the Dalek threat completely now, thinking that sheer numbers could overtake them. Sure the Daleks had superior weaponry but the Cybermen had numbers, and numbers win wars.

"We would destroy the Cybermen with ONE Dalek." The black Dalek cried out, sounding superior. "You are superior in only one respect."

"What is that?" The Cyberman inquired.

"You are better at dying." The black Dalek turned to one of the other Daleks that stood behind it. "Raise communications barrier!" The screen goes to static, just then the Doctor pulls the phone away from his ear, frustrated.

"Lost her." He sighed, upset but still happy to know that Rose was currently okay.

"Quarantine the Sphere Chamber." The Cyberman ordered to others nearby. "Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel." Two Cybermen complied and grabbed Yvonne, dragging from the room, screaming.

"No, you can't do this!" She struggled, trying to worm out of their hold. "We surrendered! We surrendered!" Cybermen approached Jackie, the Doctor, and Allyson as well, intending to drag them off to upgrade them. They all struggle, trying to free themselves of the Cybermen. The Doctor reaches for Jackie and Allyson, grabbing desperately for a purchase on either of them.

"No! Allyson! Jackie!" He screamed. He didn't want to lose Allyson as well as Rose. It broke his hearts to not have Rose by his side or safe inside the TARDIS. He didn't know if his hearts could handle not having Allyson by his side.

"This one's increased adrenaline suggests he has vital Dalek information." The Cyberman holding the Doctor tightened its grip on his arm. Allyson and Jackie were being dragged away by two others, both looking fearfully at the Doctor, hoping he'd figure something out and help them.

"You promised me!" Jackie cried at him, seeing that he was at a lost. "You gave me your word!" She started crying, afraid she was going to die and for her daughter.

"I'll think of something!" The Doctor called back to them, trying to keep them insight as long as possible. The pain was evident in his voice. He did not want this either. After he vanished out of view, Allyson stopped struggling.

"_Stop, Jackie."_ She said calmly. Jackie stopped and looked over at her, horror and question in her eyes. "_Start walking normally and demand they unhand you. Tell them that you'll cooperate. They should let you go."_ Allyson knew that was one of the many things panicking Jackie. These metal men could kill you with a touch if they wanted to. Jackie nodded in understanding. She quickly composed herself, but her knees shook with fear. She stood tall and called for the Cyberman's attention.

"All right, all right!" Her voice wavered some, betraying her, but she kept it up. "I'll cooperate! Just get your metal hands off us!" They Cybermen had stopped and stared at her.

"You will follow us." The Cyberman release its grip on them all. "Resistance is futile." Yvonne stood straight and smoothed out her clothing, trying to seem completely unaffected. Allyson glanced over at Jackie to see her give a sigh of relief. They all felt calmer without the cold grasp of the Cybermen upon them. Allyson gave herself a mental nod. Now she could think of something to get them away from the Cybermen.

They all walk down to a curtain area. Sheets of plastic cloud their vision of the machinery behind them. Screams echo in the room, sending chills down their spines. Drills mix in with the screams as sparks fly overhead. They stand in a line of Torchwood personnel, waiting to be processed. "What happens in there?" Jackie looked back at Allyson, hoping the silent girl could answer her. "What's upgrading mean? What do they do?"

"I think…" Yvonne started, looking sickly from what she was seeing. "I think they remove the brain." She covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to gag.

"_They remove your brain and implant it in a Cyberman suit."_ Allyson cut in, seeing that Yvonne couldn't speak at the moment. "_We will become like them."_ Jackie looked disgusted and fearful at the machines all around them. Yvonne seemed to have given up on trying to speak and she stands tall, knowing full well what the Cybermen were doing to the personnel.

"Next." One of the nearby Cybermen ordered. It grabs hold of Yvonne and drags her away to be processed.

"This is YOUR fault!" Jackie yelled after the woman. "You and your Torchwood. You've killed us all!" Jackie was fuming with anger. The Cyberman planted Yvonne in line to a machine and stood by her, waiting.

"I did my duty for Queen and Country." Yvonne chanted to herself as she squared her shoulders, but her eyes betrayed her and began to tear up. "I did my duty. I did my duty. Oh, God. I did my duty." She closes her eyes and blindly walks into the grapples of the machine, her screams echoing through the room causing Allyson and Jackie to wince at the blood curdling sound. Allyson reaches forward and grabs hold of Jackie's hand tightly. They both stand silently in line, knowing that soon it'll be their turn and that they'll be one of the cold metal men. Goosebumps plague their flesh as two Cybermen stalk towards them and pry them apart. The girls only give a minimal struggle, knowing full well that the Cybermen could just kill them, when the men stop. They release their grips on the girls and focus on each other.

"Cyber Leader One has been terminated." The one that was holding Jackie said.

"Explain – download shared files." The other said. The girls hold on to each other and back away. The Cybermen were too focused to notice them slip away into the stairwell.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor stood in the rift room, Cybermen lay motionless on the floor as people marched in dressed in black. Barking orders at everyone else was Jake. "Defend this room. Chrissie, monitor communications." Jake said. The Doctor pulled out his 3D specs and looking over them all, pleased but also upset to see them. "Kill one Cyber Leader and they just download into another. Move!" He explained as they all rush from the room, only Jake and the Doctor remain.

"You can't just –" The Doctor stuttered over his words. "Just HOP from one world to another. You CAN'T." He was distraught; these humans were only making the issue worse.

"We just did. With these." Jake chucked the Doctor a large yellow button, identical to the one around Jake's neck. The Doctor was even more upset at the sight of it.

"But that's impossible. You can't have this sort of technology."

"We've got our own version of Torchwood." Jake explained. "They developed it. Do you wanna come and see?"

"No!" The Doctor yelled, but it was too late. Jake had already pressed the button, transporting them to another world. They reappeared in the same room, but in an alternate world. The room was darker and more of a mess. Cables littered the floor as did other debris.

"Parallel Earth – parallel Torchwood. Except we found out what the institute was doing and the people's republic took control." Jake explained as the Doctor continued to look around, anger shadowing his eyes.

"I've gotta get back." He said, towering over Jake. "Rose and Allyson are in danger. And her mother." He spoke urgently, concerned for their safety. But for all he knew Allyson and Jackie could already be Cybermen. The though caused his hearts to constrict in pain. His eyes pricked with tears that threatened to fall, but he refused. He needed to be strong for them. He needed to save everyone.

"That'd be Jackie." A strange voice came from the door way. The Doctor's head snapped over to see the new person, only to lock eyes with Pete. Surprise coated the Doctor's face, but the pain in his chest never left. "My wife in a parallel universe. And as for you, Doctor, at least this time I know who you are." The Doctor didn't particularly pay attention to him, but deduced that Pete was obviously in command here. He strode over and glared down at Pete.

"Right, yes, fine, hooray." He rushed. "But I've gotta get back. Right now." The Doctor's voice was dangerous and low. He was becoming what all the Daleks feared.

"No." Pete refused, angering the Doctor further with how calm he was. "You're not in charge here. This is our world, not yours. And you're gonna listen for once." The Doctor's face darkened considerably as he tried to reign in his anger. He fell silent, knowing that this was the only way to save Rose, Allyson, and Jackie.

His hearts constricted painfully again.

The Doctor was now currently pressed up against the white expanse of the wall in the rift room, almost like he was listening. The Doctor's anger had lessened drastically, though Pete had been not help in this. Pete stands not too far behind him. "When you left this world, you warned us there'd be more Cybermen. So we sealed them inside the factories." Pete explained as the Doctor stepped away from the wall, still focusing on it, examining it.

"Except people argued. Said they were living. We should HELP them." Jake cut in, helping to fill in some spots in Pete's story.

"And the debate went on." Pete nodded, resuming his tail. "But all that time, the Cybermen made plans. Infiltrated this version of Torchwood, mapped themselves onto your world, and then vanished."

"When was this?" The Doctor asked, a sharp edge still in his tone.

"Three years ago." Pete answered. They walked back towards Yvonne's destroyed office, back to where the Doctor first appeared.

"It's taken them three years to cross the void, but we can pop to and fro in a second." The Doctor marveled as he tried to piece all of the puzzle together. "Must be the sheer mass of 5 million Cybermen crossing all at once."

"Yeah, Mickey said you'd rattle off that sort of stuff." Pete squinted at the Doctor, not fully understanding him.

"Oh?" The Doctor's face fell blank as he thought of Mickey. It's not like he didn't like him. It's just he didn't particularly enjoy him. It wasn't a secret that he disliked Allyson, which the Doctor thought was completely unjustified. The Doctor's hearts squeeze again, a sharp pain in his chest as he thought of her. She had done nothing wrong, she was just being her usual brilliant self. "Where is the Mickey-boy?"

"He went ahead first." Pete looked at the Doctor, confused by his turn of heart. "Any chance to go and find Miss Rose Tyler."

"She's your daughter." The Doctor casted Pete a watchful look, trying to gauge his reaction. "You do know that? Did Mickey explain?"

"She's not mine." Pete said flatly, but shifted a bit. "She's the child of a dead man." They both walked up a window that over looked Canary Warf. "Look at it." Pete changed the subject away from Rose. "A world of peace. They're calling this 'The Golden Age'."

"Who's the President now?" The Doctor looked down at all the building's, recalling that Pete's world had Presidents, not Prime Ministers.

"A woman called Harriet Jones." The Doctor let out a sharp breath at Pete's answer and raised his brows.

"I'd keep an eye on her." The Doctor said warningly, remembering when he first regenerated into his current body. Harriet Jones had mercilessly killed a retreating Scyorax ship.

"But it's a like." Pete resumed, not paying much mind to the Doctor's warning. "Temperatures have risen by 2 degrees in the past 6 months. The ice caps are melting. They're saying all this is gonna be flooded. That's not just global warming, is it?" He gave the Doctor a knowing look.

"No." The Doctor replied flatly.

"It's the breach." Pete nodded, confirming his earlier thoughts.

"I've been trying to tell you." The Doctor began, completely irate. "Travel between parallel worlds is impossible. Then the Daleks break down the walls with the sphere."

"Daleks?" Pete interrupted, confused.

"Then the Cybermen travelled across." The Doctor continued, ignoring him. "Then you lot – those disks- every time you jump from one reality to another, you rip a hole in the universe. This planet is starting to boil. Keep going and BOTH worlds will fall into the Void."

"But you can stop it – the famous Doctor? You can seal the breach?" Pete had hope in his voice, hope for his world.

"Leaving 5 million Cybermen stranded on Earth." The Doctor gave him a cold look. He was going to have to choose which world to save.

"That's your problem." Pete waved his hand. "I'm protecting this world, and this world only." The Doctor scoffs at him, looking him over briefly.

"Hmm. Pete Tyler. I knew you when you were dead. Now here you are, fighting the fight. Alone." The Doctor steps closer, slightly towering over the man. "There is a chance, back on my world. Jackie Tyler might still be alive." The Doctor's tone was hushed, but hope sparked in his eyes. If Jackie Tyler could be alive then so could Allyson. A smile tried to creep onto his face at the thought. Of course Allyson is brilliant, if anyone could figure out how to escape the Cybermen it was her.

"My wife died." Pete said, matter-of-factly.

"Her husband died. Good match." He quickly countered.

"There's more important things at stake." Pete's tone turned pleading. "Doctor, help us."

"What?" The Doctor began to walk away, cautiously. "Close the breach? Stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Daleks? Do you believe I can do that?" He raised an eyebrow, not really believing in himself.

"Yes." Pete answers without missing a beat, confidence in his voice.

"Maybe that's all I need." The Doctor grins. "Off we go, then!"

The Doctor, Jake, and Pete all reappear in the rift room in the Doctor's universe. The Doctor doesn't waste any time and dashes to Yvonne's desk phone. "First of all, I need to make a phone call. You don't mind?" But he didn't wait for their responses, he had already dialed Jackie's phone number, hoping that she was alive and that Allyson was with her.

"Help me!" Jackie's frantic voice screamed out of the phone. "Oh, my God. Help me!" The Doctor let out a breath that he wasn't aware he was holding.

"Jackie, you're alive!" He gushed, relieved. "Is Allyson with you? Is she okay?" The Doctor only got Jackie's screeches of hysteria and mindless babbling about how she needed help. "JACKIE!" He yelled into the phone, trying to capture her full attention. "Is Allyson alive?"

"Yes! She's with me!" The Doctor's shoulders slumped as the tension and fear disappeared. "They tied to download us but we got away!" The Doctor could hear Jackie huffing as she continued to run.

"Listen, tell me," the Doctor spoke calmly, trying to soothe Jackie. "Where are you?"

"I don't know! Staircase." The Doctor resisted rolling his eyes at her.

"Yeah, which one? Is there any sort of sign? Anything to identify it?"

"Yes!" Jackie gasped. "A fire extinguisher!"

"Yeah, that helps." The Doctor actually rolled his eyes this time.

"Wait a moment, Allyson says were in North corner, staircase 3." Jackie seemed slightly calmed.

"Alright, just keep low. We're trying out best." The Doctor assured her.

"No, don't leave me!" Jackie cried desperately.

"I've gotta go. I'm sorry. You have Allyson, she'll help you." He quickly hung up before Jackie could respond. He turns and looks at Pete who was staring at the phone with a soft look to his eye. "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler."

"She's not my wife." Pete's eyes quickly hardened as he caught himself.

"I was at the wedding." The Doctor brandished a finger at him. "You got her name wrong." He walks up to Jake and quickly takes his gun. "Now then, Jakey-boy. If I can open the bonding chamber on this thing, it could work on polycarbide." He popped open a compartment and begins to fiddle with the wires, using Allyson's sonic since his was on the fritz.

"What's polycarbide?" Jake asked, puzzled.

"Skin of a Dalek." He answered while he continued to work, trying to focus on the gun and keeping his mind off Allyson.

..::..::..::..::...::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A white sheet of paper attached to a pencil pops out from behind a wall and waves around, comically. The Doctor follows a few seconds later. He looked around the corridor. "Sorry." He apologized as he continued to wave his little flag. Two Cybermen a short ways away quickly turn and aim at the Doctor with their fists. "No white flag. I only had a sheet of A4. Same difference." His voice was light and slightly quiet, like he was sincerely sorry.

"Do you surrender?" One of the metal men question. The Doctor abandons his little white flag and bravely walks up to it, coming nose to nose.

"I surrender. Unto you." He said, "A very good idea." He grins. That grin that says he has something planned.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The four Daleks backed away from the Genesis Ark, which resembled a Dalek through shape and color. "Final stage of awakening." Dakek Caan screehed.

"You handprint will open the Ark." Dalek Sek ordered Rose.

"Well touch," Rose put on a brave face, refusing to comply. "'Cos I'm not doing it."

"Obey or the male with die." Sek ordered, threatening Mickey with its sucker. Immediately Rose beings to walk towards the Ark, refusing to let any harm come to Mickey.

"I can't let them." She told him, feeling cornered.

"Rose, don't!" Mickey called out, not wanting the Daleks to win. He'd rather die than let the Daleks take control of the world.

"Place your hand upon the casket." The black Dalek ordered her.

"All right!" Rose said violently, glaring at the Dalek as she turns to face the Ark. "You're going to kill us anyway, so what the hell?" She holds out her hand as if she's going to touch the Ark, but quickly pulls it back and faces Dalek Sek. "If you, um, escaped the Time War.." She began, trying to buy time. "Don't you want to know what happened?" The Dalek ignored what she said, knowing what she was doing.

"Place you hand –"

"What happened to the Emperor?" Rose asked, trying to touch a sensitive topic.

"The Emperor survived." Dalek Sek answered knowingly.

"Til he met me." She smiled a half smile. "'Cos if these are gonna be my last words, then you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor. And I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get that?" She stalked closer, trying to appear threatening. "The God of all Daleks… and I destroyed him." She gloats over the Dalek and lets out a laugh.

"You will be EXTERMINATED!" Dalek Sek ordered, furiously.

"Oh no, hold on, wait a minute." The Doctor's voice called from the doorway.

"Alert, alert – you are the Doctor." Dalek Sek backed away from Rose and the Doctor, frightened. Rose smiles with delight and the Doctor saunters further into the Sphere room, wearing his 3D specs.

"Sensors report his is unarmed." Dalek Thay called from by the Ark.

"That's me. Always." The Doctor smiled lightly.

"Then you are powerless." Dalek Sek hovered forward, getting brave again.

"Not me." He takes his specs off with a flourish. "Never." He turns to face Rose, ignoring the four Daleks in the room. "How are you?"

"Oh," She grins at him, "Same old, you know."

"Good!" He smiles. "And Mickity-McMickey!" His voice was dull as they just look at each other. "Nice to see ya."

"And you, boss." Mickey replied, feeling slightly awkward. He knew the Doctor still slightly resented him for how he treated Allyson.

"Social interaction will cease!" Dalek Jast called out, popping the little bubble they shared.

"How did you survive the Time War?" Dalek Sek asked the Doctor, confused.

"By fighting." He looked down at the Dalek, a dark look in his eyes. "On the front line." Mickey gaps at the Doctor. He had never known that he fought in a war, much less on the front lines. "I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot – ran away!" He accused them, almost laughing at them.

"We had to survive." Dalek Sek resorted.

"The last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about YOU?"

"Doctor," Rose called over to him in a low voice, "They've got names. And Daleks don't have names, do they? One of them said they—"

"I am Dalek Thay." Called one of the ones from by the Ark.

"Dalek Sek." The black one responded.

"Dalek Jast."

"Dalek Caan." The Doctor smiled at them, almost delighted.

"So THAT'S it! At last, the Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend." His curiosity was evident in his eyes.

"Who are they?" Rose asked as he began to stroll around the Daleks, looking them over.

"A secret order. Above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names." A disgusted grimace crosses his face. "All to find new ways of killing."

"But that thing," Mickey gestures to the Ark. "They said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it. What does it do?"

"I don't know." The Doctor said, glancing at it. "Never seen it before."

"But it's Time Lord." Rose frowned. It was very rare that the Doctor didn't know something, especially if it was Time Lord technology.

"Both sides had secrets." He turned to address the Daleks. "What is it? What have you done?"

"Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy." Dalek Sek answered him vaguely.

"What does that mean?" He poked, trying to get clear answers. "What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?"

"They said one touch from a time traveler will wake it up." Rose told him, watching the Daleks closely.

"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't ever do." He leaned in close to the eye stalk of one of the Daleks. "Touch. Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything. Ever. From birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage." He leaned back. "Completely alone. And that explains your voice. No wonder you scream." He whispers. Rose shivers at how horrifying the Doctor sounded.

"The Doctor will open the Ark!" Dalek Sek barked, irritated by the Doctor. The Doctor laughs in its face.

"The Doctor will not." The Doctor was completely serious again.

"You have no way of resisting." Dalek Sek said, pointing out the obvious.

"Well," he nodded his head. "You got me there. Although. There is always this." He whips out Allyson's sonic screwdriver.

"A sonic probe?" Dalek Sek scoffed.

"That's 'screwdriver'." He corrected the Dalek.

"It is harmless." Said Sek scornfully.

"Oh yes." The Doctor agreed. "Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do – it is VERY good at opening doors." He points his sonic at the double doors that he came through and they immediately explode inwards. Jake, his men, and the Cybermen barge in, firing their guns at the Daleks.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!"

"Alert! Casing impact, casing impact!" Dalek Cann's eye stalk swiveled around as it alerted the other three. The Doctor and Rose quickly jump to the ground, avoiding the guns being fired.

"Rose, get out!" The Doctor called out, pushing her towards the door, but she stumbles.

"Fire power insufficient!" Dalek Sek screamed. "Fire power insufficient!" Pete rushes forward and helps Rose to her feet. She looks up and catches his eye, but neither say a word. He quickly helps her out of the room, firing at the Daleks the whole time. Mickey rushed over by Jake and picked up a gun. He began to fire a the Daleks, helping Jake and the Cybermen.

"Daleks will be deleted." One of the Cybermen stated. "Delete! Delete!" The Doctor runs over to the door by Rose and Pete, who were out of harms way. He quickly surveyed the area, checking to see how his plan was working.

"Mickey, come on!" Rose yelled. Mickey glanced over but continued to fire into the room.

"Adapt to weaponry!" Dalek Thay shrieked, wiggling it's arms.

"Fire power restored!" Dalek Sek confirmed and began firing at the Cybermen, immediately destroying one. Jake ran to the door, knowing he was no longer safe, only Mickey was inside. He quickly lowered his gun and began to head towards the door but tripped. Mickey threw out his hands, catching himself and proceeds to the door. "Cybermen primary target."

Mickey rushes through the doorway, as do the last of Jake's men, just as the door seals close. The Cybermen and Daleks could be heard inside, still fighting.

"Jake, check the stairwell." The Doctor ordered as they began to hurry away from the sphere room. "The rest of you, come on!" Jake nodded and headed off into different direction. The Doctor and the others ran down a corridor. Mickey was staring at his hand the whole time, feeling terrible.

"I just fell, I didn't mean it!" He cried, upset that he had touched the Ark and now it was activated.

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favor!" The Doctor rapidly explained. "Now, run!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Jackie and Allyson rush down the stairs, both panting from the continuous exertion. They both stop at a landing when they see shadows of Cybermen approaching from the bottom. Allyson quickly turns on her heel and rushes up the stairs, she pulls Jackie through a door, exiting the stairwell. Allyson quickly closed the door and looked around for something to shove in front of it. Jackie, in a panic, continued to run down the corridor.

Jackie darts down the hallway, forgetting about Allyson temporarily. She was scared. She didn't want to be here. She quickly stopped on a dime when two Cybermen stood before her. "You will be upgraded." They both demanded, holding up their arms preparing to delete her should they have to. Jackie's knees go weak.

"No, but you can't!" She whimpers. "Please-" A light from behind the Cybermen hits them, causing them to fall to the ground, dead. Smoke rose from the two Cybermen, clouding Jackie's vision of her rescuer. She squints through the smoke and gasps. "Pete!" A her heart pangs at the thought of her long dead lover.

"Hello, Jacks." Pete says slowly, not really believing it himself.

"I said there were ghosts," Jackie sounded annoyed as she complained. "But why him?"

"I'm not a ghost." He frowned.

"But you're dead." Jackie breathed out. "You died 20 years ago, Pete." They both just stand still, staring at each other, both remembering the others death. The Doctor tentatively steps forward, willing to help explain to Jackie.

"It's Pete from a different Universe. There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where—"

"Oh, you can shut up." Jackie waved him off, still gapping at Pete. The Doctor closes his mouth and steps back, actually shutting up for once. Pete smiles fondly at Jackie, thinking of how she hadn't changed.

"Oh." She gazed a Pete. "You look old."

"You don't." He smiled again, not at all bothered by her bluntness.

"How can you be standing there?" She raked her eyes over him again, still not believing.

"Just got lucky." He shrugged. "Lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or..?"

"There was never anyone else." She said quietly. Rose and the Doctor both share a smile. "20 years, though. Look at me – I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"Brought her up." He pointed at Rose, "Rose Tyler. That's not bad." Jackie nods her head, thinking of all the hard work she took into raising her. "In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine. They made me rich."

"I don't care about that." She paused, thinking. "How rich?"

"Very." Pete smiled.

"I don't care about that." She paused again. "How very?" Pete laughs at her, thoroughly amused.

"Thing is though, Jacks, you're…. you're not my wife." Jackie looks down at her shoes, a darkness taking over her heart. "I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both.." He trails off as they both look at each other, fighting the urge. "You know, it's just sort of…" His voice fades again as he finally gives in. "Oh, come here." They both give in and rush forward. Pete grabs her and swings her around a large hug. Tears stream down Jackie's cheeks as she laughs, happy to have him back. The Doctor and Rose smile fondly at the two when something catches the Doctor's eye behind Jackie. Allyson quietly came to a stop behind the two love birds, a smile on her lips as well. Relief flooded through the Doctor as he rushed forward, leaving Rose without a word.

Allyson's bright eyes quickly locked onto the Doctor's form. She scanned him over, checking to see any injuries but found none. He tackled her in a hug, compressing her into himself. A large smile was plastered on his face as he twirled her around in a hug. He dropped her on her feet and kissed her forehead. His hearts soared knowing she was alive and back in his presence where he could keep her safe. Rose rushed forward to and pulled both of them in a hug, quickly planting a kiss on her cheek. Allyson laughed lightly at their responses but hugged them back just as tight.

"_So, Doctor."_ Allyson called out to him as she pulled away. "_You have a plan?"_

"Oh, Allyson! I never have a plan. You, of all people, should know that." He grinned at her, glad to have her voice in his head again. Rose grinned.

"Wait a moment!" Jackie gasped, breaking away from Pete. "What do you mean you never have a plan? You mean to tell me that you just run about all willy nilly without thinking about it?"

"It's more fun that way." Rose answered for the Doctor, a smile on her lips as well.

"Well then." The Doctor smiled at the group that was now facing him and turned to look at Allyson. "Allons-y, Allyson!" Rose and Allyson giggle at the Doctor as they all begin down the corridor again, heading for the factory floor.

The Doctor and Allyson both peek through a door looking on as the Daleks and Cybermen fight. The Daleks had begun the destruction of the Cybermen race and are now clearing out the building. Allyson had on the Doctor's 3D glasses as he squeezed through the door when he saw an opportunity. He snuck across the floor over to the boxes that held the magnaclamps and grabbed them, bringing them back to the group. Rose and Allyson both watch him as he deflects some lasers with the clamps, protecting himself. He trips over a Cyberman's dead body, nearly losing the clamps. "Come on, please." Rose whispered, crossing her fingers as she held onto Allyson's hand. The Doctor quickly scrambles to his feet and slips through the door safely. Rose and Allyson both slam it shut after he was safely through. Allyson peeked back through the door, Rose checking over the Doctor making sure he was fine.

"Override roof mechanism." Dalek Sek ordered and the ceiling began to open up slowly, revealing the sky. "Elevate." The Dalek begins to float upwards, the Ark close behind it.

"_What're they doing?"_ Allyson wondered, sending images to the Doctor and Rose. "_Why'd they need to get outside?"_

"Time Lord science." He was obviously baffled. "What Time Lord science? What is it?" Allyson pulls the door shut after the Dalek had disappeared.

"_We need to get to the top floor."_ She told them. That was the only way they'd see what the Daleks were planning on doing with the Ark and finding out what it is. She stood up and grabbed a clamp from the Doctor after helping him stand. They started running again, down the corridor they had just came from, towards Jackie and the others.

"We've gotta see what it's doing, we've gotta go back up!" The Doctor shouted at Jake, his group, Jackie and Pete. "Come on! All of you! Top floor!"

"That's 45 floors up!" Jackie whined. "Believe me, me and Allyson done 'em all!"

"We could always take the lift." Jake smiled, his head popping out of the lift that he'd found.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everyone rushes out of the elevator and stares out the window. If the situation hadn't been so life threatening, Allyson would have laughed at the silliness of having to sit in a lift for a minute as Daleks and Cybermen roamed the planet, threatening to destroy it. As they looked out the window, they saw the Genesis Ark open up, revealing a pit. It began to spin around and spit out Daleks. Thousands and thousands and millions of Daleks. Allyson's hands clam up and she grabs hold of the Doctor, fear fluttering in her heart. "Time Lord science." The Doctor stared on in horror. "It's bigger on the inside."

"Did Time Lords put those Daleks in there?" Mickey asked, wondering why the Time Lords would put so many horrible creatures in one place. "What for?"

"It's a prison ship." Fear struck the Doctor and his stomach disappeared. He felt empty and scared and alone.

"How many Daleks?" Rose looked on, scared as well. She knew exactly what they were capable of.

"_Millions."_ Allyson's tiny voice answered, knowing that if the Doctor said it out loud he might get discouraged. They watch as millions of Daleks reign terror all over London.

"Exterminate all life forms below." Dalek Sek ordered. "Exterminate!" The Daleks fire at everyone, Cybermen and human alike. Pete shakes his head and walks away from the window.

"I'm sorry, but you've had it. This world's gonna crash and burn. There's nothing we can do." He said. "We're going home. Jacks, take this." He tosses her one of the dimension buttons and she catches it.

"But they're destroying the City!" She was appalled that he'd just up and leave, but she could understand why.

"I'd forgotten you could argue." He smiled affectionately at her, happy to have her back again. He loops the chain around her neck himself, not taking chances. "It's not just London, it's the whole world." He places his palms on her face, holding her gaze with his own. "But there's another world, just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe. As long as the Doctor closes the breach. Doctor?" Pete looked up at the Doctor who turns from the window and grins, his 3D glasses sliding down his nose a little.

"Oh, I'm ready. I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood!" The Doctor adjusts his grip on the magnaclamps. He quickly dashes over to a computer, skimming past Allyson who was standing still, like she was frozen in mid-stride. He quickly began to type away on the computer, before something seemed to catch his attention. He looked over at her, his brows furrowed. "Allyson?" He asked as he abandoned the computer and walking slowly up to her. Her eyes stares, unblinking at the computer that was directly behind the Doctor and her face deep in thought. He waved his hand in front of her but she didn't seem to snap out of it. "Rose, come here."

Rose frowned and walked over by the Doctor, looking Allyson over as well. "What's wrong with her, Doctor?"

"I don't know." He frowned, concern had taken over. He couldn't understand this girl. Every time something surprises him or completely catches him off guard. The Doctor quickly scanned her with her sonic, his still not working correctly, but the results came up normal. His frown deepened and he looked her over, almost scared. "Allyson?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. After a brief pause, she suddenly sprang to life. She fell to the ground, clutching her head. "Allyson!" The Doctor yelled as he crouched down by her, trying to figure out what's happening.

Allyson felt like she had been hit by a semi. Her head ached terribly. Her blood boiled. Her mental screaming was silenced. She clawed at the edge of her consciousness, trying to get away from the pain, but nothing gave way. She was only dimly aware of the Doctor and Rose calling out to her, asking her what's wrong. Anger flared up within her. Couldn't they see that her head hurt? She couldn't feel her body but she was almost positive she was clutching her head in pain, almost ripping out her hair.

"I'm gonna have to do it again." The Doctor's agonized voice barely reached her, but she heard it and she clung to it. Then soon after he'd said that she felt another immense pressure crashing down on her. It was the Doctor, clawing his way into her mind again, desperate to help her.

The Doctor sat on his knees, his forehead pressed against hers and tears streaming down both their faces. He did not want to do this. It tortured him every time. He didn't know what was causing her pain right now, as far as he could tell there were no telepathic projections that could harm her. He didn't even know if severing her synapses again would help, but he had to try. He had to.

Allyson felt his presence; he had broken through her wall. He crashed through her mind, looking frantically around her frontal lobe, searching for Broca's area. She felt a snap and she knew she could no longer communicate again. She waited, thinking the pain would dissipate but it didn't, it got worse.

The Doctor pulled away from her, hoping that she would sit up, pain free, but she didn't. She began to shudder, her mouth gapped open letting out an empty scream. His stomach plummeted. He'd made it worse, he thought. His eyes raked over her shivering form, completely at a lost. She threw her head back and her eyes rolled up into her skull. She slumped to the floor, unconscious.

"Doctor, what just happened?" Rose asked, tears in her eyes as well. Everyone else stood silently by, watching, heartbroken and confused as well.

"I don't know." His voice was just a high pitched whisper as tears ran free again. "She passed out from the pain. I don't know what's wrong." He grabbed his hair in fistfuls and began to pull at it. "I don't know what's wrong with her. I could have killed her." He stared down at Allyson's unconscious form, scared. Movement caught his eye, her fingers were twitching. Hope bubbled up into his chest as he thought that it was maybe just a temporary episode that she suffered from, but the bubble was soon popped. The twitching ran up from her fingers and to her arms, before anyone really knew what was happening, Allyson was seizing.

"Mum, dad! We've gotta hold her down!" Rose called out, quickly taking charge seeing as the Doctor was petrified. Quickly Pete and Jackie ran forward, trying to hold her down before she hurt someone. One of Jake's men ran over, asking if he could help in anyway. "We need to tie her down to something." The guy nodded and rushed off. Allyson continued to jerk about on the floor; Pete held down her legs and Jackie her chest. Rose kneeled down by her head, holding it still and caressing her hair. After a moment she stilled. Her thrashing stopped and her body went slack. Pete and Jackie looked her over and cautiously lightened their grip on her. The Doctor snapped out of his ravine and scrambled over to her head. He placed his hand on her forehead and closed his eyes.

"She's fine now." He paused, concern coating his words. "I think."

"Doctor, the breach." Pete ground his teeth. He didn't like what had just happened any more than the Doctor did, but two worlds were at stake. Rose glared at her dad, shocked that he'd say such a thing but she quickly recovered.

"I'm afraid he's right. We have to seal the breach." Rose said softly to the Doctor, hoping he wouldn't freak out. He stared down at Allyson, his hand absently fiddling with a curl. He closed his eyes as another tear streaked down his cheek and stood up. He walked back over to the computer and finished typing in a code.

"Reboot systems." The computer confirmed aloud.

"Okay." His voice was scratchy and dry. He closed his eyes and shuddered. "So!" His voice sounded as empty as his vain attempt at a smile looked. "Any questions? Hmm?" He looked around but everyone just stared at him.

"Doctor," Rose started, remembering the conversation from before. "We can't just leave. What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?"

"They're part of the problem. And THAT makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" He grinned wickedly, though it never touched his eyes, as Rose laughs nervously. "Well?! Isn't anyone gonna ask?" He threw out his arms, rather unenthusiastically. "What is it with the glasses?" He watched Pete gently lift Allyson up and carry her over to an empty desk and set her on top of it.

"What is it with the glasses?" Rose grinned, playing along with him, never leaving Allyson's side.

"I can SEE!" He nearly interrupted her question with his own unenthusiastic enthusiasm. "That's what! 'Cos we've got two separate worlds, but in-between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen traveled through the Void to get here! And you lot – one world to another, via the Void! Oh, I like that." He grinned at Rose. "Via the Void! Look!" He pulls off the glasses and practically shoves them onto Rose's face, her grin slightly fading. "I've been through it. Do you see?" He bobs around, showing Rose the floating green and red particles that clung to him. She reaches out to try and touch them but feels nothing within the air.

"Reboot in three minutes." The computer announced.

"Void stuff." The Doctor continued to explain to Rose.

"Like um… background radiation!" She snapped her fingers as the thought hit her.

"That's it." He nodded. "Look at the others." Rose glanced over at Allyson and then over to the others to find them all covered in the same green and red particles except for Jackie. "The only one who hasn't been through the Void – your mother. First time she's looked normal in her life."

"Oi!" Jackie glares at the Doctor and Rose giggles. The Doctor strides in to the clear white area, Rose following. His false persona actually taking hold on them.

"The Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it." The Doctor explained. "Cybermen – all of them. I just open the Void – end of verse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside.

"Pulling them all in?" Rose guessed, a half smile on her face.

"Pulling them all in." The Doctor nodded.

"Sorry, what's the Void?" Mickey spoke up finally.

"The dead space." The Doctor said flatly. "Some people call it 'hell'."

"So, you're sending the Daleks and Cyber men to Hell." Mickey looped the transport button around his neck as he turned to Jake. "Man I told you he was good."

"But it's like you said." Rose said, having been looking around at everyone, particularly Allyson, with the 3D glasses. "We've ALL got Void stuff. Me too, 'cos we went to that parallel world." She looks down at her fingers as she flexes them, watching the particles float about. She pulls off the glasses and give them to the Doctor as he stands before her. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

"That's why you've gotta go." He said sadly, his eyes boring into hers. "Back to Pete's world." He points at Pete and tries to smile. "Hey, we should call it that, 'Pete's World'." He turned back to Rose. "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side."

"What about Allyson?" Rose stared at him. "She's covered in the stuff too, why aren't you sending her there?"

"I can't." He sighed, knowing how it sounded. "I made a promise—"

"So did I." She interrupted him, forcing him to recall all the times she promised him that she'd never leave.

"And then you close it. For good?" Pete interrupted them. The Doctor looked over at him, almost thankful for the interruption.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void Stuff, in the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput." He popped the 'p' as he finished.

"But you stay on THIS side?" Rose teared up, not wanting to hear her worse nightmares confirmed.

"But you'll get pulled in." Mickey frowned. He and the Doctor never really got along, but he didn't want the man to be sucked into Hell. The Doctor holds his gaze with Rose for a moment before he runs over the magnaclamps that he'd set down by the windows. Rose stays put, looking like she'd been slapped.

"That's why," He holds them up, "I've got these. I'll just have to hold on tight – I've been doing it all my life."

"What about Allyson?" Mickey asked, still frowning. The Doctor immediately quiets and stares at the still unconscious girl on the desk.

"These desks are bolted to the floor. If I could get some rope, I could tie her down." He grimaced at the thought, but it was the only way.

"I'm suppose to go." Rose gasped, trying to hold back her sobs.

"Yeah." He said silently walking back up to her.

"To another world." She clarified. "And then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah." The word was just a whisper now. He didn't want to talk about this, but he knew Rose and he knew she wouldn't just do as he said.

"Forever." She watched him walk back over to a computer. "That's not gonna happen." A crash shakes the building.

"We haven't got time to argue, the plan works, we go in." Pete said briskly, getting uncomfortable. "You too. All of us."

"No!" Rose stomps her foot like a child. "I'm not leaving him!"

"I'm not going without her." Jackie shake her head and stands by Rose, refusing to leave her daughter.

"Oh, my God. We're GOING." Pete groaned, not liking that they both think it's okay to stay.

"I've had 20 years without you, so button it. I'm not leaving her." Jackie poked him with a reprimanding finger."

"You've GOT to." Rose said gently grabbing her mom by the shoulders.

"Well, that's tough!" Jackie's voice rose as she refused to think of leaving Rose behind. The guy who had left earlier had returned, bearing with him some thick rope. Only the Doctor acknowledged his presence and gently took the rope over to Allyson and began to secure her.

"Reboot in one minute." The automatic voice reminded them.

"I've had a life with you for 19 years. But then I met the Doctor." Her voice was trembling from her suppressed tears. "All the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us. For the whold, stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum." Behind her the Doctor walks up and slowly pulls out a button from his pocket, a terrible sadness in his eyes. "But not anymore. 'Cos now he's got me." Rose gave a defiant nod before the Doctor slipped the chain over her head, she turned to face him, "What're you-?" Betrayal filled her eyes as Pete quickly pressed the button, leaving the Doctor alone with Allyson. He stared at the spot that Rose once stood in, tears streamed down his face yet again. He walks back over, glancing at Allyson securely tied to a desk, and begins to work on a computer again.

A flash fills the room as Rose reappears. "I think this is the on switch.." She mumbled as she fiddled with the button. The Doctor stares at her, startled and even more upset. He briskly walks over to Rose and roughly grabs her shoulders. He hunched over and stared at her, straight into her eyes.

"Once the breach collapses, that's IT. You will never be able to see her again." He said slowly, trying to beat some sense into her. "Your own mother!"

"I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you." Rose said calmly, but her voice trembles. He stares at her and then releases his grip, to stunned to say anything. "So, what can I do to help?"

"Systems rebooted. Open access." The computer sounded again.

"Those co-ordinates over there, set them all at 6." He said, finally giving in. He watches her walk over to a computer and begin her work. "And hurry up." He said angrily. Rose slides off the button and glances nervously at the Doctor as he began to work on another computer. He was fuming that she hadn't listened to him, that because of him, she was willing to throw away her own life.

"We've got Cybermen on the way up." Rose said, looking at the screen as it showed Cybermen marching up the steps.

"How many floors down?"

"Just one." Rose watched as they continued to march.

"We will retreat through the breach." The one in the lead said. "Regain the Home World." A Cyberman steps in front of the others, effectively stopping their progress. It points a gun at the metal men.

"You will not pass." Yvonne's voice was barely recognizable.

"What is the meaning of this?" The lead Cyberman demanded, confused by the betrayal.

"You will NOT pass." Yvonne told them flatly and pulls the trigger, destroying all the Cybermen with a ray of light. "I did my duty for Queen and Country. I did my duty for Queen and Country."

"Levers operational." The voice snapped Rose away from the screen, a tear falling down her cheek as she thought about Yvonne. The Doctor smiled.

"That's more like it, bit of a smile!" Rose smiled as well, happy to see him in a lighter mood. "The old team!"

"Hope and Glory, Mutt and Jeff, Shiver and Shake!" He picked up a magnaclamp and carries it over to her, a small smile still on his face.

"Which one's Shiver?"

"Oh, I'm shake." He dumps the clamp into her arms. He walks over to his side and attaches it to the wall. "Press the red button." He instructed and she does so. He quickly walks back to the desk that holds Allyson and double checks her ropes. He really didn't like leaving her vulnerable like this. He looked down and noticed blue eyes staring back at him. More like glaring. He could see the question in her eyes.

"I'll explain later." Was all he could really tell her, the sadness in his voice did not go unheard by her. She nodded, her eyes softening. He glanced up and saw a small group of Daleks heading towards them, he quickly rushed back to the levers. "When it starts, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void Stuff. Are you ready?" He spoke quickly, wanting to get this up and running before the Daleks arrived. They both stood by the levers, at the ready. Rose glanced over at him and caught his eye, they nodded and pushed the levers upwards. A strong wind began to pick up as they rushed forward and grabbed hold of the clamps.

"Online." A bright white light filled the room as the wind picked up wicked speed. The Daleks were pulled through the window and into the light, gone and never to be seen ever again. Rose and the Doctor both hand onto the clamps for dear life, both watching the other and Allyson.

Allyson felt the pull of the Void. She could feel it calling to her. Her hair whipped around, wild and free. She couldn't feel the desk she was tied to move, for which she was relieved.

"The breach is open!" The Doctor called out. "Into the Void! Ha!" He sounded almost happy. Allyson was fine and Rose was with him. There wasn't much he could do about it now. He wasn't alone any more. He had them. Always. They all watched as Cybermen and Daleks alike were pulled into the Void. Rose smiles at the Doctor, happy that everything was going to be over soon. Suddenly Rose's lever sends out sparks and moves backwards, into the 'off' position. All smiles are gone.

"Offline." The wind dies down and the suction lets up. Rose reaches for the lever while still trying to keep a grip on the clamp but it's too far. Eventually her grip slips and she falls onto the lever. The Doctor and Allyson both watch, eyes full of fear and dread. Rose whimpers and begins to push on the lever. She lets out a small cry as the lever gives in and moves forward, locking into the 'on' position.

"Online and locked." The pull was strong yet again, but Rose lets out a cry as she realizes that all she has left to hold onto was the lever.

"Rose! Hold on!" The Doctor shouted over, desperate for her to keep her grip. The Void pulls at her, trying to get her to fall in. She winces as her fingers begin to slip. Tears build up in her eyes as she struggles with the effort. "HOLD ON!" The Doctor screams.

Rose groans as she feels her muscles fatigue. Her strength as gone. The Doctor stared at her, terror taking hold on his hearts. He was powerless. For the first time, he was completely powerless. He could always do a quick little thing and it was a happy ending. But not now. Not this time. He reached out, knowing it wasn't going to do anything, but he had to try. Rose let out another cry and her grip slips. She falls backwards, towards the Void. The Doctor screams out her name. Pete suddenly appears and catches her. She quickly clings to him and looks over his shoulder at the Doctor. They both lock gazes and then she's gone again. The Doctor and Allyson stare at where she once was. The breach slowly closes itself off, the wind and light dying down, leaving silence in its absence.

Slowly the Doctor lets his grip on the clamp go and stares at the wall. All he could think of was the Rose was on the other side. He walks up to it, tears brimming in his eyes as he runs his hand over it. He rests his ear against it, like he could hear her. Allyson watched from her desk, tears streaming out of her eyes. The Doctor stood still for minutes, the torture and pain obvious in his eyes. After a while he finally steps away. He watches the wall for a moment and then turns away. He walks over to Allyson and begins to untie her. She sits up, finally free of the ropes. But by the time she gets off the table the Doctor is already walking away, back towards the TARDIS. She silently follows, knowing he doesn't want to talk and that she can't talk anyhow.

They both walk into the TARDIS, silent. The Doctor goes straight to the console and takes off. The TARDIS shakes and rattles and then soon settles down. He just wanted to get away. Once they were in orbit he took off to his room. Allyson stood silently by, watching him go and knowing that it would take a while for him to want to speak.

..::..::..::...::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"_Rose." _The Doctor's voice echoed in Rose's mind as she leans against the wall, wiping tears from her eyes. Mickey, Pete, and Jackie all watch her silently, none knowing what to say.

Rose was asleep in her bed, having another nightmare.

"**Last night I had a dream."**

"_Rose."_

"**I heard a voice and it was calling my name."**

Rose jerks awake in her bed. She sits up right, almost hoping that it was all a bad dream that she was still with the Doctor. But she slumps her shoulders, knowing that she'll never see him again.

"_Rose."_

Rose now sat around a fire with Jackie, Pete, and Mickey. All of them in their pajamas as Rose told them about her dreams. "I had a dream, um.."

"**I told mum and dad and Mickey. Anyone else would think I was mad. But not those three. They believed it. Because they've met the Doctor. So they listened to the dream."**

"He was calling me, and.."

It was dark as they all packed up the Jeep. They were leaving.

"**And that night, we packed up. Got into dad's old Jeep and off we went."**

They drive off into the darkness.

"**Just like the dream said."**

They were now driving down a back road, the sun hidden behind some clouds.

"**Followed the voice. Across the water. Kept on driving hundreds and hundreds of miles. Because he's calling."**

"_Rose."_

They all stood huddled about on a deserted beach. Pete, Jackie, and Mickey all stood by the Jeep as Rose walks down the bleak beach. She looked around, unsure if she'd actually find something.

"**Here I am at last. And this is the story of how I died."**

She comes to a halt in the middle of the beach and stands there. She waited. This was the right place, she was sure. Off to her left a faint image of the Doctor appears, instantly Rose turned to stare at him.

"Where are you?" She asked, taking him all in.

"Inside the TARDIS." His voice sounded far away. "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit around a super nova." He laughed lightly. "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

"You look like a ghost." Rose shook her head, thinking it may be an illusion of her own mind.

"Hold on." He takes out his sonic and aims it at something, and he comes into full view. He now stands as if he were actually there, Rose walks up to him, wishing should could hold him.

"Can I t-?" She raised her hand, wanting to cup his cheek.

"I'm still just an image. No touch." He said regretfully, wanting to feel her touch again as well.

"Can't you come through properly?" Her voice trembled, knowing this was the last time she'd see him.

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse." He explained to her.

"So?" She half joked, still wishing he'd do it. He smiles at her. They both just stand in silence, taking each other in before the Doctor speaks again.

"Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway." Rose answered, not taking her eyes off him.

"Norway. Right." He nodded, as if he should have known that.

"About 50 miles out of Bergen." She continued. "It's called 'Darlig Ulv Stranden'."

"Dalek?" He sounded surprised.

"Darl-IG. It's Norwegian for 'bad'." He continues to stare at her, brow furrowed. "This translates as 'Bad Wolf Bay." They both laugh at the irony, but it doesn't last for long. "How long have we got?"

"About 2 minutes." He sighed sadly, resigned.

"I can't think of what to say!" Rose laughed, but it was empty. He chuckled too and glanced over her shoulder.

"You've still got Mr. Mickey, then?"

"There's 5 of us now. Mum, dad, Mickey and the baby." The Doctor's eyes snap back to her, taken back.

"You're not?"

"No," She laughs, "It's mum." The Doctor laughs with relief. "She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way."

"And what about you? Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm back working in the shop." She half smiled at him.

"Oh," He nods, "Good for you."

"Shut up." She laughs. "No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet, it's open for business." Tears threaten to fall again. "I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

"Rose Tyler." He said, proud. "Defender of the Earth." A silence lingers for a moment again. "You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead." Tears start to fall down her cheeks. "Here you are." He smiles. "Living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

"Am I ever gonna get to see you and Allyson again?" She chokes back a sob.

"You can't." He whispered, seeing her cry was pulling at his heart. He wanted to be with her again, even if it destroyed two universes to do so.

"What're you gonna do?"

"Oh, I've got the TARDIS and Allyson. Same old life. Last of the Time Lords." He smiled sadly. Rose stares at him, heartbroken.

"I lo-" She chokes on some of her tears, she pauses a moment and composes herself. "I love you." She finally manages.

"Quite right, too." He said softly, Rose smiles and nods. "And I suppose." He gazed at her, not wanting to see her go. "If it's one last chance to say it.." He pauses. His eyes locked with hers and they shine with unshed tears. "Rose Tyler.." And he disappears. Rose's face scrunches up with pain and she falls to her knees, crying.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor stands by the console in the TARDIS, his eyes filled with tears. His mouth was open, ready to form the sentence he'd so badly wanted to tell her. He swallows hard, tears finally spilling over the edge and run down his cheeks. He rubs his hands over his eyes, wiping away the tears as he tries to compose himself. He looks up and sees Allyson just coming into view from the corridor. She'd given them their time. Sacrificing her own goodbye for the Doctor. It stung to not be able to say goodbye to your sister. But the Doctor needed the time, she knew. She walked up to him and wrapped him in a hug.

He stood still, trying to fight back the wave of sadness that was threatening to overcome him. But Allyson's presence was too much for him and he caved. He rested his head in the nook of her neck and sobbed. He grabbed her tight and refused to let go. He couldn't bear to lose her and be alone. His knees give out and they both sink to the floor. Tears stream down Allyson's face as well. It twisted her heart in awkward angles to see him like this. If she could she would switch places with Rose. Let Rose take her pace, rightfully at the Doctor's side.

"It's not fair." He cried, his grip on her tightening. Allyson could only rub his back and give him her presence as comfort. He cried for a while, never letting her go. He burrowed his face further into Allyson's neck. He took deep breaths, trying to regain control over himself. Finally his sobs stopped, but tears still flowed down his cheeks. He leaned back, lightening his grip on Allyson, but never letting her go. He wasn't sure if he'd be able too. Allyson stood and helped him up. She pulled out a pen and paper, quickly scribbling down something and held it up to him.

"_Let's go somewhere fun, yeah?"_ She gave him an encouraging smile as he finally stopped his tears. He gave her a half attempt at a smile and began to unenthusiastically press buttons and pull switches when Allyson lightly smacked his arm and pointed to the door. He looked up, curious and frowned.

"What?" He gasped as he stared at the back of a woman in a wedding dress. The woman turns around and screams in surprise. "What?!" He gushed, thoroughly confused.

"Who are you?!" The woman demanded disdainfully. The Doctor looked around the TARDIS and back at Allyson, looking for answers. Allyson could only shrug, she had no idea.

"But—" He tried to form a coherent explaination.

"Where am I?" The woman demanded again, glaring around the TARDIS.

"What?!" The Doctor gasped again.

"What the hell is this place?!" The woman yelled, getting angry.

"WHAT?!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

**A/N:** Hello! I apologize for the rather long wait for this chapter. I would have had it out sooner but I got another job, hehe. I'm currently wrapped up in training hours which are a lot more than what I'm scheduled for. So I'll more than likely leave the poll open for a while longer. I also have been ridiculously busy these past few weeks. Hopefully things will settle down after a while.

I'm an awful human being, and I feel awful about it.

So I have a list of last names for Allyson (no, I'm not going to put Smith. It's the Doctor's last name and they may or may not be getting married, who knows?) I am going to keep the poll open until the start of next season, which I have no idea when that will be. Could be a few weeks, could be a few months. Hopefully not. I hate to keep you all waiting :D But regardless, I do have a poll up on my profile, so after your done reading feel free to stop by and vote!

By the way, longest chapter yet. Lol 29 pages and 13,200 words (approximately).

Anywhoo.. QUESTION ANSWERING TIME! I said you guys could ask me questions and I would answer. I am a woman of my word and here are the answers to the questions asked!

DreamLighting: Will she meet Martha?

Yes, she will get to meet Martha. Their relationship I will not tell you, because that would spoil it. :D

: Will you be making season 3 and up?

I'm not 100 percent sure as of right now. I was planning on at least finishing Tennant and maybe going on with Smith, like just kind of explain everything and then let you guys have happy imagination time for the 11th and Allyson. If I did that I was going to write another Doctor Who story with Smith, and only Smith, to make up for it. I may or may not just keep going though.

Sara: When will the Doctor and Allyson get together?

Well if I told you when that would spoil a lot of things but right now I have no real set episode, I'm kind of letting them grow together themselves if that makes any sense?

Esthealice17: Why is the Doctor keep Allyson close?

At the end of 'Fear Her' remember how he mentions something bad was coming? He could feel it. He had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to someone he held dear and since Torchwood knew about Allyson and not specifically Rose, he felt the need to keep her close to him and keep her safe.

GetemGirl: I know you didn't really ask a question but I kind of wanted to address the whole 'Rose' thing any how.

I know a lot of people have issues with Rose and I can actually see where they're coming from, but I like her. She may not have had the best adventures but I did like the whole Doctor/Rose thing they had going. I very nearly cried at the end of Doomsday . I, however, did not like her when she reappears in Turn Left, The Stolen Earth, and Journey's End. I actually hated her then.

But! Back to actually addressing the whole thing with Rose.

The Doctor does still love her in this series. You have to remember that a lot of the relationship was built with 9. He loves her, but he also starts to like Allyson, not enough to make him question though. So they didn't really have a weird love triangle thing going, but they still kind of had one. Rose loved the Doctor, the Doctor loved Rose, Allyson began to like the Doctor (wasn't really touched much), and the Doctor began to attach to Allyson. One reason why I had Allyson and Rose be like sisters is because of a lot of Doctor Who fanfiction that I read. They always (okay, like 97.6% of the time) have Rose and the OC hate each other or have some kind of rivalry. I really wanted to change that. When they found Allyson, Rose and the Doctor kind of had their relationship/feelings established. Rose had no need to feel threatened by Allyson, the girl couldn't even talk at first.


End file.
